LBATROS 


THE 

ALBATROSS  NOVELS 

By  ALBERT  ROSS 
23  Volumes 

May  be  had  wherever  books  are  sold  at  the  price  you 
paid  for  this  volume 

Black  Adonis,  A 
Garston  Bigamy,  The 
Her  Husband's  Friend 
His  Foster  Sister 
His  Private  Character 
In  Stella's  Shadow 
Love  at  Seventy 
Love  Gone  Astray 
Moulding  a  Maiden 
Naked  Truth,  The 
New  Sensation,  A 
Original  Sinner,  An 
Out  of  Wedlock 
Speaking  of  Ellen 
Stranger  Than  Fiction 
Sugar  Princess,  A 
That  Gay  Deceiver 
Their  Marriage  Bond 
Thou  Shalt  Not 
Thy  Neighbor's  Wife 
Why  I'm  Single 
Young  Fawcett's  Mabel 
Young  Miss  Giddy 

G.  W.  DILLINGHAM  CO. 

Publishers  ::  ::  New  York 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


BY  ALBERT  Ross. 


AUTHOR  OF 


"Tnou  SHALT  NOT,"  "His  PRIVATE  CHARACTER,* 

"  A  NEW  SENSATION,"  "THE  NAKED  TRUTH," 

"STRANGER  THAN  FICTION,"  ETC. 


NEW  YORK: 

OOPYRIQHT,  1100,  »T 

G.  W.  Dillingham  Co.,  Publishers. 

[All  rights  reserved.} 

-  Ave. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTKR 

I.  A  Bird  of  111  Omen.      ....      9 

II.  "  Half  Dutch,  half  Dago."    .        .  .22 

III.  "  Was  there  no  rupture  between  you  ?"  31 

IV.  Mr.  Pyne,  the  Detective.               .  .    43 
V.  Mr.  Barney  has  a  Plan,        »        .  .52 

VI.  Scenes  on  the  Wharf.          .        .  .63 

VII.  "  That's  the  whole  story,  girls."  .     73 

VIII.  Carl  Meets  Mr.  Van  Steuben.      .  .    84 

IX.  The  Burial  of  a  Queen.       .        .  93 

X.  Going  over  to  Hawaii.        .        .  .102 

XI.  "  You  left  him  there  to  die  !"     .  .  in 

XII.  Search  for  a  Dead  Man.      .        .  .118 

XIII.  Invited  out  to  Dinner.        .         .  .126 

XIV    "  The  only  sweetheart  I've  got."  .  138 

XV.  The  Need  of  Strong  Play.          .  .  149 

XVI.  On  the  Steamer  Coptic.      .        .  .157 

XVII.  A  Day  at  Yokohama.           .        .  .165 

XVIII.  Amy  Writes  a  Letter.         .        .  174 

XIX.  An  Evening  with  Geishas.          .  .183 

XX.  "  Do  you  love  her  very  much  7*  .  191 

XXL  Her  First  Proposal.             .       .  .  203 

m 

2061879 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTBR  PAC« 

XXII.  A  Real  English  Lord  at  Last.     .  213 

XXIII.  "  It  was  his  spirit."      .        .        .  .226 

XXIV.  An  Unwelcome  Checque  for  $500.  .235 
XXV.  On  the  Road  to  Kusatsu.     c        .  .247 

XXVL  "  You  speak  so  sadly."          .        .  .253 

XXVIL  The  Story  of  Chatham  Stone.      .  .259 

XXVIII.  "  I  love  you,  Carl !     I  love  you !"  .  267 

XXIX.  Lending  a  Passport.     ....  275 

XXX.  A  Shock  for  Mrs.  Van.         .        .  .284 

XXXI.  The  Marquis  of  Maebashi.  .        .  .293 

XXXII.  "  Across  oceans  and  continents."  300 

XXXIII.  Amy  Writes  to  Olive.           .         .  .  3<>7 

XXXIV.  "  All's  well  that  ends  welL"  in 


TO  MY  READERS. 


When  a  novelist  has  written  twenty-two  books,  all 
of  which — from  the  standpoint  of  his  publisher's 
ledger,  at  least — have  proved  "  successful,"  it  may 
not  be  out  of  place  for  him  to  review  his  work.  I 
therefore  ask  your  indulgence  for  a  brief  retrospect. 

You  noticed  that  "  Stranger  than  Fiction  "  marked 
a  decided  departure  in  my  style  of  writing,  and  will 
see  that  "A  Sugar  Princess"  adheres  to  the  new 
lines.  Inexhaustible  as  the  old  field  is,  valuable  as  it 
may  be  to  any  sensible  reader,  there  are  other  paths 
which  I  prefer  to  explore. 

44  Thou  Shalt  Not  "  was  a  bold  tale,  but  I  have 
never  been  sorry  I  wrote  it.  To  relate  such  a 
story  in  language  fit  for  the  nursery  would  be  im- 
possible. It  was  intended  for  men  and  women  and 
a  sale  of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  million  copies  proves 
what  a  vast  number  must  have  read  it.  I  hope  and 
believe  it  has  done  some  good. 

About  "  His  Private  Character  "  I  have  more  doubt. 
There  are  moments  of  flippancy  in  that  novel  which, 
perhaps,  had  better  not  be  there;  though  the  moral 
lesson  is  -unmistakable.  It  was  written  under  the 

[7] 


8  TO  MY  READERS. 

intoxication  of  my  first  great  hold  on  the  reading 
public  and  without  due  thought  in  all  respects.  I 
mean  to  revise  it  by-and-by. 

"  In  Stella's  Shadow  "  was  also  a  novel  for  grown 
persons,  which  if  modified  would  lose  its  force. 
44  Speaking  of  Ellen "  (the  work  of  which  I  am 
proudest)  has,  on  the  other  hand,  a  vein  (that  re- 
ferring to  Nathalie)  which  could  have  been  treated 
in  wiser  fashion. 

When  a  man's  hair  begins  to  turn  white  he  cannot 
help  glancing  back  along  the  road  he  has  travelled. 
I  have  written  conscientiously,  if  sometimes  mistak- 
enly. There  is  little  in  my  other  books  that  I  would 
alter  much,  from  the  moral  side.  As  a  critic  said 
long  ago — if  I  have  often  presented  vice  I  have  never 
made  it  attractive. 

But  vice  is  not  the  only  thing  worth  writing  about, 
though  it  is  common  enough,  God  knows !  I  ask  to 
be  excused  from  discussing  it  further.  Surely  I  have 
done  my  share. 

My  publishers  seem  to  prosper,  when  "  greater  " 
book  houses  are  falling  around  them.  Their  returns 
to  me  for  1899  show  larger  sales  than  for  some  years 
past. 

For  eighteen  months  I  have  been  engaged  in  a 
journey  around  the  world.  When  the  Paris  exposi- 
tion is  over  I  expect  to  return  to  America  and  greet 
you  again.  With  deep  appreciation  and  regard, 

ALBERT   ROSS. 

PARIS,  June^  1900. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A  BIRD  OF  ILL  OMEN. 

"YES,  I'm  going  to  leave  Carl  nearly  every  dollar 
I've  got." 

Old  Peter  Meyer  sat  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  table 
from  his  friend,  Marcus  Lmdes,  in  the  little  private 
room  over  the  St.  Louis  restaurant.  They  had  just 
completed  their  dinner,  and  the  cloth  was  covered  with 
the  usual  disarray  that  follows  such  a  meal.  Meyer  was 
upwards  of  seventy  years  of  age,  not  over  strong,  and 
yet  not  done  with  by  any  means  as  far  as  the  natural 
eye  could  judge.  His  rather  tall  and  slender  form 
was  wiry,  his  gray  eye  clear.  His  hair,  streaked  liber- 
ally with  white,  still  retained  much  of  its  original 
dark  color;  and  his  cheek,  though  pale,  showed  the 
effects  of  a  life  of  right  living.  He  was  dressed  in 
dark  clothes,  carefully  and  neatly — in  short,  a  clean, 
affable  old  gentleman,  who  evidently  believed  he  knew 
what  he  was  about. 

"He's  as  honest  a  lad  as  breathes.  I've  had  him  with 

C9l 


IO  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

me  long  enough  to  know  him  thoroughly.  I  really 
think  an  own  son  couldn't  be  dearer  to  me  than 
Carl  is." 

The  last  expressions  were  uttered  very  slowly,  with 
long  pauses  between  them.  It  was  as  if  the  speaker 
expected  to  be  interrupted  by  some  remark  from  his 
friend. 

Mr.  Lindes,  who  was  like  his  companion  of  German 
stock,  was  somewhat  shorter  and  stouter  and  perhaps 
ten  years  younger.  The  carelessness  of  his  apparel 
formed  a  vivid  contrast  to  that  of  the  other  and  his 
face  wore  an  expression  much  less  open  and  ingenu- 
ous. By  one  of  those  contrasts  so  often  seen,  these 
men  had  become  closely  attached  to  each  other,  years 
and  years  before  the  opening  of  our  story.  Though 
there  was  almost  nothing,  apparently,  which  they  had 
in  common,  unless  it  was  their  mutual  liking  for  a 
good  dinner,  a  stein  of  lager  and  a  clay  pipe,  they- 
managed  to  endure  a  great  deal  of  each  other's  com- 
pany without  having  any  serious  falling  out;  and  this 
also  without  ever  agreeing  wholly  on  any  subject  what- 
ever. 

In  fact,  Mr.  Lindes  made  it  a  point  never  to  agree 
with  anybody  if  he  could  possibly  help  it.  If  he  had 
heard  someone  say  that  the  sun  would  rise  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning  he  would  probably  have  entered  at 
once  into  an  argument  to  prove  that  it  would  do  noth- 
ing of  the  kind.  Still  he  was  not  a  bad  follow  at 
heart,  and  though  Meyer  knew  him  as  well  as  one  man 
can  know  another  after  forty  years  acquaintance,  he 
endured  this  idiosyncrasy  and  usually  managed  to 
laugh  it  off,  when  obstinacy  degenerated  into  sulkiness. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  It 

"You  have  no  blood  relations?"  said  Marcus,  in  a 
sort  of  interrogation,  as  if  this  was  merely  a  prelimi- 
nary to  what  he  intended  to  say.  Simple  as  was  the 
question,  Meyer  scented  a  disagreement. 

"Only  some  distant  cousins  who  are  well  enough 
off  to  need  no  aid  from  me.  Carl  calls  me  •  uncle,' 
but  that  is,  as  you  know,  merely  a  matter  of  form.  His 
affection  for  his  dead  father  is  a  sacred  thing,  and 
though  he  really  occupies  the  place  of  a  son  to  me,  I 
could  not  ask  him  to  give  me  a  nearer  and  dearer 
title." 

Marcus  Lindes  knew  Carl  Meyer,  as  the  subject  of 
this  conversation  was  now  called  by  nearly  everybody, 
though  his  original  name  was  Muller.  He  had  no  more 
reason  to  doubt  that  the  young  fellow  deserved  the 
confidence  and  affection  of  his  adopted  parent  than 
he  had  that  he  sat  there  by  that  table.  But  as  he 
blew  the  froth  off  a  fresh  stein  of  beer  that  the  waiter 
had  just  brought  his  love  of  controversy  was  too  strong 
to  be  overcome. 

"Of  course  Carl  knows  of  your  intention — that  you 
mean  to  leave  him  your  property?"  he  began. 

"Well,  supposing  he  does,''  said  Peter,  shifting  his 
long  legs  uneasily.  He  wondered  what  could  be 
coming  next. 

"It's  natural  that  a  lad  who  has  nothing  of  his  own 
should  do  the  best  he  can  to  secure  himself  a  fortune," 
answered  Lindes,  with  aggravating  slowness. 

An  expression  of  pain  not  unmixed  with  anger 
crossed  Meyer's  wrinkled  face. 

"You  do  like  to  ascribe  mean  motives  to  people," 
was  his  tart  reply. 


la  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"I  know  human  nature,"  drawled  Lindes. 

"But  you  don't  seem  to  know  Carl ! "  replied  the 
other,  with  rising  inflection.  "I'll  wager  he  has  never 
thought  of  money  in  that  connection  from  the  day  I 
took  him  in  charge  till  this  minute." 

Lindes  shook  his  head  with  an  incredulous  smile; 
one  of  those  smiles  that  can  be  almost  as  insulting  as 
a  slap  in  the  face.  Then,  with  the  freedom  of  an  old 
acquaintance,  he  ejaculated,  "Pooh,  pooh ! " 

"He's  not  a  fool,  Peter,"  he  added.  "He  saw 
through  you  from  the  start.  He  knows,  as  well  as  if 
you  said  it  to  him  in  so  many  words,  that  if  he  does 
as  you  wish  he'll  get  your  money  when  you're  through 
with  it.  And  that's  nothing  against  him,  as  I  see.  In 
this  world  every  man  has  got  to  look  out  for  his  own 
interests." 

Peter  Meyer  struck  the  table  with  the  flat  of  his 
hard  hand,  and  the  beer  in  the  two  steins  jumped  re- 
sponsively. 

"If  I  had  as  low  an  idea  of  Carl  as  you,  I'd  send 
him  packing  tomorrow  and  leave  what  I've  got  to  an 
orphan  asylum ! "  he  cried,  sharply. 

"And  break  your  old  heart  over  it  afterwards  ?" 

"No,  he  wouldn't  be  worth  another  thought.  Why ! 
— After  I've  taken  him  to  my  breast  like  a  father,  like 
a  mother!  When  I've  treated  him  as  tenderly  as  a 
ewe  could  treat  a  lamb !  You  know  all  about  it,  Mar- 
cus. That  boy  and  I  have  been  more  than  companions, 
we've  been  chums.  With  nearly  fifty  years  between 
us  we've  met  on  equal  ground.  The  relation  couldn't 
have  been  dearer  if  he'd  been  part  and  parcel  of  my 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS,  13 

flesh.  An3  you,"  the  speaker  paused,  his  voice  shak- 
ing as  if  it  could  hardly  utter  the  words,  "would  have 
me  believe  that,  all  this  time,  he's  been  counting  the 
hours  before  his  fingers  woul'd  handle  my  cash — and  I 
— be  under  ground !  " 

A  tear  gathered  in  the  grey  eye  and  rolled  down  the 
furrowed  cheek.  The  man  had  been  hurt  in  his  tend- 
erest  place.  Already  Lindes  regretted  the  effect  of 
his  insinuations,  but  his  innate  mulishness  kept  him 
to  the  argument. 

"Oh,  he  may  be  all  right,"  he  admitted.  "But  have 
you  ever  tested  him  ?  A  hard-headed  business  man 
like  you  shouldn't  trust  altogether  to  appearances.  If 
the  boy  is  really  the  idealic  creature  you  think  you 
can  leave  him  your  fortune,  if  you  want  to.  If  the 
case  was  mine,  though,  I'd  prove  that  before  I  did 
'so." 

Meyer  absently  finished  the  beer  in  his  stein  and 
rang  to  have  it  refilled.  His  gaze  wandered  over  the 
•walls  of  the  room,  from  the  portrait  of  the  "Old  Em- 
peror" William  on  one  side  to  that  of  Grover  Cleve- 
land on  the  other.  His  mind  was  not,  however,  oc- 
cupied with  thoughts  of  either  of  those  worthies.  He 
was  too  much  distressed  over  the  matter  under  con- 
sideration. 

The  entrance  of  the  waiter  aroused  him  from  his 
revery.  "Prove  it?"  he  repeated,  vaguely. 

"Certainly ;  arfd  in  a  way  that  would  settle  my  douibts 
lor  good  and  all." 

"Go  ahead !  go  ahead !  "  was  the  impatient  rejoinder. 
"You've  got  some  sneaky  notion ;  out  with  it ! " 


14  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"Well,  before  I'd  risk  making  a  young  beggar  too 
glad  at  my  death  I'd  be  convinced  that  he  was  the 
sort  I  wanted  to  endow  with  my  property — or  the 
contrary." 

"How?  how?"  Meyer  rose  from  his  chair  in  ihis 
excitement 

"There  are  a  hundred  ways.  For  instance,  you 
might  disappear  for  awhile  and  leave  him  to  his  own 
devices;  make  him  think  you  are  dead — be  dead  as 
far  as  he  is  concerned.  That  wouldn't  be  difficult. 
You've  made  a  will,  I  suppose.  Let  him  secure  tem- 
porary possession  of  the  property,  and  then  judge  by 
his  actions  how  deep  his  grief  is.  If  he  should  turn 
out  the  angelic  fellow  you've  settled  it  in  your  mind  he 
is,  of  course  he'd  be  delighted  to  have  you  return  and 
take  possession  again.  If,  on  the  contrary,  he  is  a 
designing  schemer,  he'd  show  that  pretty  plainly,  too; 
and  if  he  is  one  of  these  fellows  who  make  ducks  and 
drakes  of  an  inheritance  you'll  not  be  long  in  discover- 
ing it.  There's  your  chance,  roughly  outlined,"  said 
Lindes,  as  Meyer  sank  again  into  his  seat.  "But,"  he 
added,  sarcastically,  "  you  won't  take  advantage  of  it, 
not  you.  You'd  rather  shut  your  eyes  and  ruin  any 
risk  than  to  learn  the  truth,  for  you're  afraid  it  might- 
n't suit  you  when  you  got  it." 

The  old  gentleman  sipped  at  his  beer  and  then  mut- 
tered that  the  idea  advanced  was  contemptible,  mean 
and  tricky. 

"Carl  need  never  know  there  was  any  trick — if  he 
turned  out  the  dear,  broken-hearted  son  you  think  he 
would.  All  you've  got  to  do  is  to  take  a  journey 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS,  15 

and  neglect  your  correspondence  with  him.  Reasons 
are  easy  to  give  afterwards — distance,  illness,  unre- 
liable mails;  and  rumors  of  sudden  death  in  a  foreign 
land  are  not  hard  to  set  in  circulation.  But,"  Lindes 
returned  again  to  the  satirical  strain,  "that's  the  use? 
You'll  do  nothing  of  the  kind ;  you'd  rather  be  fooled." 

Although  Meyer  knew  to  the  core  the  mental  make- 
up of  the  man,  he  was  dazed  for  a  moment  at  the  ap- 
parent strength  of  his  argument.  He  muttered  weak- 
ly that  he  could  trust  Carl  implicitly — that  it  was  un- 
necessary to  try  any  such  miserable  game.  But  all 
the  time  he  was  thinking,  thinking.  Suppose  he  (had 
really  taken  an  ingrate  to  his  heart?  What  if  the 
kind  manner,  the  filial  attitude,  the  affectionate  ex- 
pressions, had  all  been  influenced  by  sordid  motives! 
Oh,  it  was  unendurable ! 

"I'm  too  old  to  go  on  a  long  journey  alone,"  he 
muttered  at  last,  when  the  pendulum  had  swung  in 
both  directions  many  times  and  at  last  stood  still. 

"For  the  sake  of  preventing  your  being  swindled, 
I'd  go  witih  you.  This  is  a  serious  matter." 

Meyer  arose  to  his  fe«  and  took  his  overcoat  from 
its  hook,  leaving  half  the  beer  in  his  stein  undrained. 
No  single  act  could  better  have  shown  the  extent  of 
his  perturbation.  He  twisted  a  long  muffler  about  his 
neck  and  drew  his  slouch  hat  well  down  on  his  head. 

"I  won't !"  he  said,  in  so  low  a  tone  that  tihe  words 
were  scarcely  audible.  He  was  talking  rather  to  him- 
self than  to  his  companion.  "It's  the  most  outrageous 
thing  I  ever  heard  of."  Then  he  looked  Lindes  full 
in  the  eyes  and  shot  the  next  words  at  him :  "I  would- 


l6  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

n't  have  as  suspicious  a  mind  as  you  for  all  the  gold 
in  Alaska ! " 

Remarking  nonchalantly  that  if  Meyer  preferred  be- 
ing made  a  fool  of  he  would  have  nobody  but  himself 
to  blame,  Lindes  drank  the  rest  of  his  own  beer  and 
prepared  to  accompany  his  companion  to  the  street. 
They  walked  along  the  chilly  way,  for  it  was  mid- 
winter, in  silence  for  some  time.  In  spite  of  all  he 
could  do  the  leaven  was  working  in  Peter  Meyer's 
brain.  When  his  residence  was  reached  the  men  went 
in  together. 

For  years  they  had  been  in  the  habit,  whenever  they 
were  both  in  St.  Louis,  of  dining  in  the  same  room  in 
which  we  found  them,  walking  together  to  Meyer's 
house,  and  of  spending  an  hour  or  two  afterwards  in 
the  sittingroom  there.  Soon  they  were  seated  before 
a  bright  fire  of  logs,  in  a  chimney  patterned  after  the 
fireplaces  of  long  ago,  with  a  singing  teakettle  hang- 
ing from  a  hook  and  implements  for  smoking  adorn- 
ing the  mantel.  It  was  a  thoroughly  comfortable  old 
place,  one  of  the  kind  more  common  half  a  century 
since  than  now,  when  fashion  has  got  in  its  deadly 
work  in  every  corner  of  the  modern  home.  Two  cosy 
old  chairs  that  had  been  brought  originally  from  Ger- 
many received  the  host  and  his  guest.  Lighting  their 
long  clay  pipes  the  old  men  puffed  away,  silently,  for 
some  time. 

"  You  knew  Hans  Muller,"  said  Peter,  at  last,  for 
but  one  thought  had  occupied  his  mind  during  this 
interim.  "Can  you  imagine  that  such  a  father  could 
have  a  son  who  was  a  scoundrel?" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS,  I? 

was  ready  witih  his  reply.  He  asked  if  Meyer 
had  forgotten  what  the  play-actor  said,  the  other  night, 
(in  the  "Old  Homestead") — "Pedigree  may  be  all 
right  in  horses  and  cattle,  but  it  don't  count  much 
with  human  beings." 

"You  knew  Linda  Goepper,  too,  before  Hans  mar- 
ried her,"  persisted  Peter,  refusing  to  be  convinced 
by  the  illustration. 

"I  can  only  give  you  the  same  answer." 

"But,"  was  the  impatient  query,  "has  there  been 
anything,  in  what  you've  seen  of  Carl,  that  makes  you 
distrust  him?" 

Lindes  hestitated  a  moment  before  replying;  that 
second  or  two  which  is  always  more  eloquent  than 
words  to  a  troubled  or  doubting  mind. 

"I  haven't  said  there  was  anything,"  he  answered, 
evasively.  "But,  consider  a  moment,  Peter.  Matters 
that  involve  money  should  be  treated  in  a  business  fash- 
ion. You  wouldn't  hire  a  cashier  without  knowing 
more  about  him  than  that  he  had  a  good  mother  and  a 
respectable  father.  Why,  you  wouldn't  even  buy  a 
horse  until  you'd  had  him  tried  around  steam  trains 
and  electric  cars.  And  yet  you'd  leave  the  savings  of 
a  lifetime  to  a  boy  that  you  really  know  very  little 
about." 

The  host  sat  with  both  elbows  on  his  knees,  lean- 
ing over  toward  the  fire.  The  ashes  in  his  long  pipe 
were  cold. 

"You've  heard  some  jealous  busybody  talking  about 
Carl,"  he  muttered,  querulously. 

"No,  I  assure  you." 


10  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"What  do  you  want  to  annoy  itte  for,  then?" 

"I  don't  want  you  to  make  a  mistake,"  was  the  im- 
pressive reply. 

Apparently  somewhat  relieved  Meyer  took  a  coal 
and  relighted  his  tobacco.  The  pipes  sent  out  their 
smoke  together  after  that  without  interruption  till  a 
grandfather's  clock  in  the  corner  rang  the  strokes  of 
ten.  At  which  sound  Lindes  arose,  according  to  his 
usual  custom,  knocked  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe,  laid 
it  on  the  mantel,  stretched  himself  and  said  he  must 
go. 

"I  won't  do  it,  I  tell  you,"  Peter  repeated  three  or 
four  times,  as  he  bade  his  friend  goodnight  at  the 
door.  "I  won't  do  it;  and  I  won't  even  think  of  it 
again.  It's  too  silly." 

"As  you  like,"  responded  the  other,  with  a  disagree- 
able laugh.  *'  I  shall  always  be  glad  to  know  I  did  my 
duty." 

Meyer  did  not  go  to  bed  at  once.  He  sat  before 
the  fireplace  for  an  hour  alone,  peering  into  the  coals 
as  if  he  might  gain  from  them  some  indication  regard- 
ing the  matter  that  troubled  his  mind.  The  next  morn- 
ing he  arose  far  from  rested.  All  the  long  night  he 
had  tumbled  and  tossed.  The  current  of  a  life  that 
had  seemed  to  flow  on  most  pleasantly  was  stirred 
to  its  deptlhs.  At  the  bottom  of  what  had  looked  like 
a  pelucid  stream  he  thought  he  could  discern  a  darker 
stratum.  The  little  stir  which  Lindes'  pole  had  made 
had  caused  a  decided  discoloration. 

Peter  met  Carl  at  the  breakfast  table  at  the  usual 
hour.  The  latter  had  retired  early  and  enjoyed  the  un- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  1$ 

disturbed  rest  of  youth  and  health.  He  was  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  of  medium  height,  with  a  well-knit 
frame,  straight,  well-poised,  athletic.  He  had  German 
blond  hair,  German  blue  eyes  and  a  complexion  in 
which  the  red  blood  showed.  Naturally  not  over-com- 
municative, he  merely  said  good-morning  to  his  adopt- 
ed uncle  and  devoted  himself  with  a  fine  appetite  to 
the  meal  which  Matilda  Metzger,  the  housekeeper, 
had  set  out. 

Peter,  from  across  the  table,  glanced  at  him  from 
time  to  time,  eating  little  on  account  of  a  lump  that 
seemea  to  fill  his  throat.  He  was  still  revolving  in  his 
mind  the  insinuations  he  had  heard  on  the  previous 
evening.  If  what  Marcus  Lindes  had  hinted  were  true, 
life  had  for  him  lasted  too  long;  the  sooner  he  could 
rearrange  his  testament  and  leave  this  earth  the  better. 

All  the  affection  of  his  old  heart  fought  against  the 
monstrous  proposition  that  his  adopted  boy  was  actu- 
ated in  every  move  by  the  despicable  motive  of  per- 
sonal gain.  And  with  his  grief  came  also  the  convic- 
tion that,  if  Carl  was  really  such  a  wretch  as  this 
would  make  'him,  it  would  not  satisfy  justice  merely 
to  turn  him  out  to  earn  his  living ;  he  deserved  strang- 
ling 'where  he  sat ! 

For  in  that  case  he  had  robbed  an  old  man  of  his 
happiness,  murdered  the  love  given  him  so  freely,  des- 
troyed as  by  fire  a  structure  built  to  shelter  and  sustain 
the  closing  years  of  a  lonely  life.  Oh,  it  was  unbear- 
able! 

"You  are  not  eating,"  said  the  bright  young  voice, 
Carl's  attention  being  attracted  at  last  to  the  silent 
figure. 


2T  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"Iso,  I'm  not  feeling  just  right  this  morning.  I 
think — perhaps — I'd  better  take  a  little  journey.  I 
believe  I  need  a  change." 

"All  right,"  was  the  immediate  reply.  "We  can 
pack  up  in  an  hour  or  two,  as  we've  done  before. 
Where  do  you  think  of  going?" 

"I  don't  know — yet." 

Carl  looked  at  his  benefactor  more  intently,  struck 
by  something  peculiar  in  his  tone. 

"You  are  pale,"  he  said,  anxiously,  at  the  same  time 
rising  from  the  table.  "Let  me  call  the  doctor." 

But  Peter  indicated  a  negative,  saying  it  was  noth- 
ing and  would  soon  pass  away. 

Carl  was  not  satisfied,  however.  He  went  behind 
his  companion's  chair,  took  the  gray  head  between  his 
broad  hands  and  smoothed  the  thin  hair  away  from  the 
temples. 

"This  may  make  you  feel  better,"  he  said  gently. 
"It  does  sometimes,  you  know." 

The  health  of  the  youth  seemed  to  enter  rlie  veins 
of  the  other  from  between  those  broad  palms.  Witli 
the  touch  Meyer  found  the  lurking  fears  vanishing 
and  indignation  taking  their  place.  It  was  not  Carl 
now  who  deserved  strangling.  It  was  Marcus  Lindes. 

"I  wish  you  would  let  me  call  the  doctor,"  Carl 
said,  after  a  little  while.  "Your  head  is  hot.  He 
might  give  you  something  to  afford  relief." 

"No,  no,  I  am  much  better."  The  old  man  roused 
himself  and  smiled  up  into  the  anxious  face.  Putting 
his  trembling  hands  above  his  head  he  took  the  strong 
young  palms  in  them,  pressing  the  fingers  with  ail  his 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  91 

strength.  He  was  better  indeed.  He  had  regained 
a  great  treasure  he  had  feared  was  lost. 

"I  am  much  better,"  he  repeated.  "Go  out  now  and 
take  your  exercise.  And  please  stop  at  Mr.  Lindes' 
rooms  and  say  I  would  like  to  have  him  call  here  this 
morning." 

It  required  a  little  further  persuasion  to  induce  the 
young  man  to  obey  the  request  to  leave  the  house. 
Before  he  was  quite  convinced  Peter  had  to  ring  for 
Matilda  to  bring  him  a  fresh  breakfast,  which  he  at- 
tacked with  an  appetite  that  was  not  simulated. 

"I'm  all  right  now.  Ask  Marcus  to  come  as  soon 
as  he  can.  I  have  some  business  to  do  with  him." 

The  old  gentleman  was  impatient  for  the  moment 
when  he  could  throw  the  evil  prophecy  back  in  the 
face  of  that  bird  of  ill-omen.  He  could  only  wonder 
as  he  devoured  his  chop  and  drank  his  coffee  that  he 
had  let  it  worry  him  for  a  moment. 


22  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  II. 
"HALF  DUTCH,  HALF  DAGO." 

MD  now  if  the  reader  has  no  abjection  (and  who 
was  ever  known  to  object  to  a  trip  of  that  kind?)  we 
will  ask  him  (or  her)  to  accompany  us  for  a  little 
while  to  Honolulu,  in  Oahu,  the  capital  of  the  group 
of  islands  now  commonly  called  the  Hawaiian.  The 
beautiful  town  lay  basking  in  the  sun  on  an  April 
morning  following  the  events  narrated  in  the  preceding 
chapter.  While  all  the  plain  that  stretches  from  Dia- 
mond Head  to  Pearl  Harbor,  and  from  the  mountain 
ranges  to  the  sea  was,  as  ever,  clothed  in  luxuriant 
tropical  vegetation,  the  villas  on  King  Street,  half 
hidden  in  bowers  of  gigantic  palms,  presented  perhaps 
the  most  perfect  appearance.  And  on  this  famous 
avenue  no  home  had  more  attractiveness  than  that  of 
the  far-famed  Sugar  King,  Abel  Van  Steuben. 

If  we  pass  under  the  massive  gateway  and  traverse 
the  thirty  or  forty  yards  between  the  sidewalk  and  the 
house,  we  may  ascend  the  stone  steps  and  enter  the 
central  hall  of  this  mansion.  If  we  inquire  for  its  own- 
er a  courteous  Chinese  servant  dressed  in  the  costume 
of  his  country  will  inform  us  that  Mr.  Van  Steuben 
has  not  yet  left  his  breakfast  table.  If,  however,  we 
avail  ourselves  of  the  privilege  which  is  ours  as  novel- 
ist and  reader,  we  may  penetrate  with  our  vision  the 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2$ 

walls  that  separate  us  from  him.  We  shall  find  a  man 
of  fifty  years  or  so,  rather  large,  with  a  face  that  be- 
trays his  Dutch  origin ;  a  grizzled  beard  carefully  trim- 
med and  an  upper  lip  clean-shaved.  We  shall  notice 
tlhat  he  wears  a  business  suit  of  mixed  itweed,  an  old- 
fashioned  collar  and  stock  and,  at  this  precise  moment, 
a  very  disturbed  expression. 

Opposite  to  him,  the  only  figure  in  the  room,  is 
Mrs.  Van  Steuben,  a  portly  lady  some  five  years  young- 
er, clad  in  a  gorgeous  morning  gown  and  having  on  her 
fat  fingers,  even  at  this  early  hour  of  the  day,  a  very 
large  assortment  of  rings  that  cost  a  great  deal  of 
money  and  look  as  if  they  were  worth  it. 

"I  really  think,  the  richer  you  get,  the  stingier  you 
grow,"  was  the  remark  which  caused  the  expression  on 
her  husband's  face  just  referred  to.  "With  all  your 
money,  you'd  like  to  have  your  only  daughter  return 
in  a  holoku  and  a  fifty  cent  straw  hat.  She's  been 
three  years  now  at  that  school  in  California  and  she's 
got  to  look  decent  when  she  comes  off  the  'Australia.' 
You  may  as  well  make  up  your  mind  to  it,  first  as 
last." 

"All  right,  my  dear,  have  your  way,"  was  the  feeble 
response.  "Cover  the  child  with  silks  and  jewels  till 
there's  nothing  left  of  the  little  darling  I  used  to  know. 
Teach  her  to  look  down  on  the  girls  she  raced  with 
along  the  beach  at  Waikiki.  Tell  her  her  father  is  an 
old-fashioned  fellow  she  should  be  ashamed  of,  since 
her  mother  has  got  her  head  full  of  high  notions.  Per- 
haps," he  added,  "you  can  make  people  forget  that  I 
came  here  as  a  stowaway  on  a  schooner,  that  youf 


24  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

mother  was  a  Portuguese  immigrant,  and  that  we  were 
married  on  a  hundred  dollars  a  month.  Of  course 
they'll  do  it  if  you  hold  your  ohin  high  enough." 

Mrs.  Van  Steuben  utters  an  exclamation  of  im- 
patience. It  was  a  disagreeable  habit  of  her  husband, 
whenever  he  "got  riled,"  to  bring  up  the  fact  that  they 
were  once  in  a  much  "lower  grade  of  society." 

"What  is  the  use  of  your  having  made  four  or  five 
million  dollars  if  your  child  is  not  to  have  some  ad- 
vantage from  it?"  she  demanded,  with  flushed  face. 

"I  don't  know,"  was  the  sharp  retort.  "I  didn't  mean 
to,  I'm  sure.  I  remember,  when  we  had  been  married 
a  year,  and  Amy  came,  our  one  ambition  was  to  own  a 
little  house  on  a  leased  bit  of  land — 'something  that 
would  cost,  with  the  furniture,  perhaps  a  couple  of 
thousand.  How  we  used  to  talk  about  it  in  the  even- 
ings, when  I  came  home  from  work!  You  thought 
you'd  be  'perfectly  happy'  if  we  could  ever  accomplish 
that  wonderful  thing.  Well,  we  did  it,  and  I  don't 
know  as  you're  any  happier  now  than  you  were  then. 
I'm  sure  I'm  not.  I  wish  I'd  never  bought  a  share  of 
sugar  stock.  That's  what's  made  all  the  trouble." 

It  was  idle  to  talk  with  a  man  who  could  advance 
such  views  as  these  and  Mrs.  Van  Steuben  returned 
wearily  to  the  main  question. 

"I  want  ten  thousand  dollars  to  go  to  San  Francisco 
with,"  she  said.  "You  may  as  well  give  me  the  money 
first  as  last." 

"I  suppose  so,"  he  sighed,    "When  are  you  going?" 

"Next  week.  I've  got  to  be  there  early  to  see  about 
Amy's  graduation  dress  and  attend  to  lots  of  little 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2$ 

things.  She's  the  ridiest  girl  at  that  school  and  has 
got  to  make  a  decent  show.  You  know  you  don't  want 
her  to  look  like  a  fright  and  you  only  talk  for  the  sake 
of  it.  You'll  be  as  pleased  as  anyone,  when  she  conies 
home,  to  have  the  Waterman's  and  the  Millinhams 
and  the  Stookses  find  her  looking  so  well — and  perhaps 
a  little  better — than  any  of  their  own  tribe." 

Mr.  Van  Steuben  went  silently  to  his  desk  and  drew 
out  his  cheque-book.  Slowly  and  carefully  he  wrote 
the  cheque  demanded,  filling  in  the  ciphers  with  many 
a  suppressed  groan.  He  did  not  care  at  all  for  the 
money — he  was  honest  in  the  wish  he  had  expressed 
that  Fortune  had  been  less  lavish  in  her  gifts  to  him. 
The  oppressive  thought  in  his  mind  was  that  this  in- 
strument would  be  used  to  help  destroy  what  was  left 
of  the  sweet,  lovable,  little  girl  who  had  climbed  on  his 
knees  and  called  him  "Papa." 

For  three  years  he  had  not  seen  his  idol,  though  he 
exchanged  weekly  letters  with  her.  He  could  not  bear 
the  sea.  His  experience  on  the  schooner  in  which 
he  rounded  the  Horn  had  given  him  a  dread  of  the 
ocean  that  time  did  not  lessen.  That  voyage  had  been 
for  him  one  long  horror  and  the  smell  of  a  bit  of  tarred 
rope  brought  fresh  qualms  to  his  stomach  after  nearly 
forty  years. 

He  had  hidden  himself  on  board  the  craft  at  Boston, 
with  a  boy's  idea  that  he  wanted  to  be  a  sailor,  and  had 
been  given  the  usual  experience  of  a  detected  stowa- 
way. Arriving  at  Honolulu  he  managed  to  escape 
and  hid  in  the  hut  of  a  friendly  islander  till  the  hate- 
ful sails  of  the  schooner  were  out  of  sight.  Then, 


26  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

from  the  lowest  of  positions,  he  had  crept  upwards,  un- 
til he  was  now  justly  reckoned  among  the  richest  half 
dozen  residents. 

1  hough  the  comfortable  steamers  of  many  lines 
ply  between  the  island  and  his  native  country,  he  could 
never  bring  himself  to  take  passage  in  one  of  them. 
When  his  business  interests  made  it  imperative  that  he 
visit  the  other  islands  in  the  group  he  suffered  all  he  felt 
he  could  endure,  although  the  trips  only  occupied  a 
few  hours.  His  daughter,  deeply  loved  as  she  was, 
seemed  while  in  California  in  a  land  almost  as  inac- 
cessible as  the  moon,  from  his  standpoint.  He  could 
only  await  her  return. 

Amy's  letters  had  as  yet  given  no  indication  that  she 
had  experienced  any  serious  change.  She  still  began 
with  "My  Darling  Popsie"  and  closed  with  "Yours  de- 
votedly." Still  the  father  had  hours  of  fear  lest  the 
little  girl  who  had  twined  around  his  heartstrings 
•wpuld  ultimately  be  replaced  by  a  fashionable  young 
lady,  who  would  not,  to  his  mind,  fill  her  place  at  all. 
He  had  listened,  pained,  to  some  of  her  mother's  care- 
ful instructions.  Amy  had  been  told. never  to  forget 
for  one  instant  that  she  was  the  daughter  of  a  million- 
aire. She  was  urged  to  imitate  carefully  the  manners 
of  the  young  ladies  with  whom  she  would  be  brought 
in  contact.  In  short,  she  was  directed  by  Mrs.  Van 
Steuben  to  repress  all  naturalness  and  eliminate  as 
fast  as  possible  the  unaffected  ways  she  had  learned 
in  her  happy  childhood,  before  the  great  rise  in 
sugar  stocks  gave  her  the  position  of  an  "heiress." 

All  this  went  sadly  through  the  father's  mind,  as 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2/ 

he  filled  out  the  dieque  for  which  his  wife  was  wait- 
ing. 

"We  shall  never  feel  the  same  way  about  this  mat- 
er," he  remarked,  as  he  handed  her  the  piece  of  paper. 
"I  only  hope  you'll  leave  a  little  of  the  natural  girl  in 
Amy.  Judge  by  her  latest  photograph  she  is  pretty 
enough  without  being  decked  out  in  all  the  finery  you 
can  buy.  You've  begun,"  he  continued  with  a  sigh, 
"and  I  suppose  you'll  have  to  finish,  but  I  wish  you 
would  give  her  time  to  enjoy  her  girlhood  before  you 
push  her  into  that  'fashionable  swim'  you're  always 
talking  about." 

The  lady  uttered  another  groan. 

"You'd  like  to  see  her  running  barefooted  along  the 
beach  at  Waikiki  again,  I  suppose,"  she  exclaimed, 
spitefully. 

"Wouldn't  I,  though !"  murmured  her  husband,  clos- 
ing his  eyes  reminiscently.  "In  that  light  print  dress 
she  used  to  wear,  with  her  hat  hanging  down  her  back 
by  its  red  ribbons  and  her  hair  blowing  in  the  wind ! 
I  used  to  looked  at  her  and  say  God  never  made  any- 
thing else  so  sweet."  He  turned  toward  his  wife  en- 
treatingly.  "Don't  utterly  spoil  her,  Gusty." 

If  there  was  anything  that  Mrs.  Van  hated 
more  than  another  it  was  having  her  husband  shorten 
her  name  of  Augusta  to  this  affectionate  diminutive. 
It  was  all  right  enough  when  he  came  a^courting  to  her 
father's  lowly  cottage,  but  the  time  when  it  pleased 
her  ears  was  long  past.  It  did  not  fit  with  her  new 
rvealth  and  dignities. 

"You  talk  as  if  I  didn't  have  as  much  interest  in 


28  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Amy  as  you,"  she  answered,  peevishly.  "And  yet 
you'd  have  left  her  here  in  Honolulu,  to  get  no  educa- 
tion beyond  a  term  in  Punahou  and  a  few  piano  les- 
sons ;  and  for  all  of  you  she  might  marry  a  plantation 
luna." 

Mr.  Van  Steuben  blinked  at  this  remark. 

"Marry?  Amy  marry?"  he  repeated,  half  blindly. 
He  had  never  thought  of  his  daughter  in  that  con- 
nection. 

"Of  course  she'll  marry !  Do  you  want  her  to  be  an 
old  maid?  Now  that  she's  somebody,  she  can  get  a 
husband  -worth  having.  I  really  think  you'd  be  satis- 
fied to  have  her  marry  a  clerk  at  Hackfeldt's." 

"Like  I  was  When  you  thought  me  a  pretty  good 
catch  ?"  he  asked,  desperately. 

Whenever  Mrs.  Van  got  excited  she  was  quite  apt 
to  forget  the  delicacies  of  language  which  had  come 
to  her  late  in  life. 

"I  guess  you  was  as  warm  to  get  me  as  I  was  to  get 
you.  Don't  be  silly,  Abel.  You  know  you'd  be  will- 
ing as  anybody  to  have  a  great  man's  son  in  your  fami- 
ly, when  the  right  time  comes." 

"A  great  man's  son !  "  He  wandered  what  was  the 
extent  of  this  woman's  ambition. 

"Neither  of  us  have  any  family  to  brag  of,  Gusty," 
he  replied,  "and  great  men's  sorts  tihink  of  such  things 
when  they  get  spliced.  My  father  was  a  Dutch  imi- 
grant  and  your  mother  a  Portuguese  woman  whose 
father  came  out  here  as  a  laborer." 

The  wife  began  to  rub  her  eyes  wMi  her  handker- 
ehrif.  Allusions  to  her  humble  ancestry  always  annoy- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS,  29 

ed  her  and  Mr.  Van  Steuben  was  needlessly  brutal 
this  time,  she  thought. 

"I  pity  the  poor  child,  with  such  a  father,"  she 
sobbed,  "Nobody  will  think  of  these  things,  now  you've 
got  your  money,  unless  you  force  it  on  'em.  Half  the 
big  families  in  New  York  came  from  Dutch  settlers — 
men  who  landed  with  packs  on  their  backs.  I've  heard 
that  a  Congressman  from  Massachusetts  is  descended 
from  a  French  baby  rescued  from  a  stranded  vessel 
and  brought  up  in  the  poorhouse,  My  mother  used  to 
say  her  folks  were  big  people  in  Europe  before  her 
father  lost  his  property,  I'm  going  to  make  a  lady  of 
Amy  in  spite  of  you,  so  there !  With  the  money  she'll 
have  when  you — 

"When  I'm  dead,  eh  ?    Spit  it  out ! " 

"You  don't  expect  to  be  an  exception  to  the  rule, 
do  you?  I  say,  with  Amy's  fortune  she  can  get  the 
kind  of  husband  you'd  want,  for  your  daughter  if  you 
had  the  least  speck  of  fatherly  feeling  in  your  heart." 

"You're  looking  for  a  duke  or  something  of  that  sort, 
I  suppose  ?"  he  said,  it  being  the  most  sarcastic  idea  he 
could  think  of, 

"Well,  I  don't  think  a  duke  would  be  any  toe  good 
for  her!  A  duke— or  a  markee — or  a  count,"  replied 
the  lady,  stoutly,  "Vanderbilt's  daughter  married  a 
duke  and  he  came  of  a  Dutch  family  as  well  as  you." 

"Vanderbilt  had  a  hundred  millions ! "  retorted  the 
husband,  overcome  at  the  discovery  that  his  wife  was 
really  speaking  in  a  serious  vein. 

"And  you've  got  five  and  growing  richer  every  day. 
There's  only  Billy  and  Amy  to  share  &'' 


3O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Mr.  Van  Steuben  uttered  a  deep  sigh. 

"I  wish  to  the  Lord  I  hadn't  fifty  thousand,"  he  said, 
earnestly.  "If  it's  going  to  put  you  into  any  such  race 
as  this  my  money  will  be  simply  a  curse,  Well,  go 
after  Amy  and  bring  her  home;  we'll  see  if  the  child 
has  got  any  more  sense  than  her  mother. 

"Whew ! "  "he  added,  after  a  pause,  during  which 
his  wife  had  left  the  room.  "Half  Dutch  and  half  Dagc 
— and  looking  for  a  Duke !  Gora'mighty ! " 


CHAPTER  III. 

"WAS  THERE  NO  RUPTURE  BETWEEN  YOU?" 

MARCUS  Lindes  had  'his  way  at  last.  From  the  day 
when  Peter  Meyer  hurled  his  insinuations  back  in  his 
face  he  determined  there  should  be  no  doubt  about  that, 
He  played  with  his  friend  as  a  sportsman  does  with  a 
fish  that  has  been  indiscreet  enough  to  nibble  at  his 
hook.  He  let  Peter  have  all  the  line  he  wanted  for  a 
time  and  then  slowly  but  surely  wound  up  his  reel. 

Carl  might  be  just  the  sort  of  young  man  his  "uncle" 
believed  him — very  likely  he  was,  he  repeated  over  and 
over:  in  that  case  it  would  not  only  do  no  harm  to 
prove  it,  but  'Meyer  would  feel  all  the  better  when  tihe 
last  trace  of  doubt  was  removed. 

And  thus  it  came  to  pass  that  the  adopted  parent 
was  beguiled  into  putting  Carl  to  a  test  which  he  had 
pronounced  "mean,  contemptible  and  tricky/'  but  of 
which  he  had  never  quite  relinquished  the  idea,  under 
the  shrewd  manipulation  of  its  keen  proposer. 

When  Carl  was  told  that  Mr.  Meyer  was  going  to 
take  a  journey  without  him  he  was  surprised,  for  he 
had  come  to  think  himself  indispensable  on  such  oc- 
casions. He  was  not,  however,  in  the  habit  of  ques- 
tioning his  benefactor's  decisions.  It  was  adroitly  re- 
presented -that  he  ought  to  devote  some  time  to  study, 
his  college  career  having  been  broken  up  by  his  devo* 


$S  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS 

tion  to  Meyer's  welfare.  A  special  tutor  to  coach  him  in 
such  branches  as  he  had  left  unfinished  was  secured; 
and  he  was  advised  to  make  the  best  of  his  time,  which 
he  dutifully  promised  to  do, 

Marcus  was  to  go  along  with  Peter,  which  seemed 
to  assure  him  of  necessary  companionship  and  assis- 
tance in  case  of  possible  illness.  While  nothing  was 
said  definitely  about  the  length  of  time  they  would,  be 
absent,  Carl  got  the  idea  that  a  tour  of  only  ,a  few 
months  was  contemplated. 

"I  shall  leave  a  balance  at  the  bank  for  you  to  draw 
upon,"  said  Peter,  the  day  before  his  departure,  in  a 
voice  whidh  he  did  his  utmost  to  keep  from  trembling, 
"If  anything  happens  to  me — yon  understand — Uhrig 
has  my  will,  which  leaves  you  fully  provided  for.  I 
have  given  you  nearly  everything  I  own,  and  in  ad- 
dition to  my  estate  I  have,  as  you  know,  an  insurance 
for  $100,000  in  the  Northwestern  of  Milwaukee/'* 

Meyer  threw  out  this  statement  in  the  expectation 
that  some  reply  would  be  given  by  which  he  could 
form  an  opinion  from  the  words  and  tone  used;  but 
Carl  merely  pressed  the  hand  held  out  to  him,  He 
was  not  demonstrative,  as  a  rule,  and  his  action  in  this 
matter  was  entirely  in  keeping  with  his  ordinary  con- 
duct, as  Meyer  was  instantly  obliged  to  admit  to  him- 
self. 

Another  fellow  might  have  cried,  "Oh,  my  dear 
uncle,  you  are  too  kind !"  or  "I  hope  you  will  live  long 
years  yet,  sir !"  Neither  action  was  what  Meyer  had 
any  reason  to  expect  from  "his  boy." 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  Carl  would  have  parted  from 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  33 

him  with  the  same  warm  grasp  of  the  hand  had  he  said 
instead,  "I  have  made  a  will  leaving  all  my  money  to 
a  public  institution."  The  young  man  was  thinking  of 
what  he  already  owed  his  kind  friend  rather  than  of 
what  he  might  expect  in  the  future;  and,  more  than 
anything  else,  that  he  must  keep  a  bright  face  to 
the  end. 

"Come,  we  must  get  aboard,"  said  Lindes,  who  stood 
at  their  elbows  at  the  moment  of  their  final  parting. 
He  feared  to  leave  them  together  too  long  lest  Peter 
should  inadvertently  betray  the  depth  of  his  feeling. 

"Good-bye,"  said  Carl,  patting  Mr.  Meyer  encourag- 
ingly on  the  shoulder.  "You're  in  good  hands.  If  any- 
thing should  happen  that  you  need  me — even  if  you  are 
taken  with  only  a  slight  illness — just  telegraph  and  I'll 
come  at  once.  You  know  I  understand  you  a  little 
better  than  anyone  else.  Take  care  of  yourself  and  I'll 
make  the  very  best  progress  I  can  at  my  studies." 

The  train  had  hardly  pulled  out  of  the  station  when 
Meyer  confided  to  his  companion,  as  he  wiped  the 
moisture  from  his  glasses,  that  he  felt  like  a  villain ;  he 
had  half  a  mind,  he  said,  to  leave  at  the  next  station, 
return  and  confess  the  whole  plot  to  Carl.  Marcus 
knew  his  friend  was  not  the  man  to  do  this,  having 
once  started  on  his  road,  and  only  smiled  indulgent- 
ly. He  was  sorry  to  find  him  so  utterly  downhearted 
and  began  to  talk  of  the  probability,  the  almost  cer- 
tainty, that  the  young  man  would  justify  his  highest 
hopes.  He  also  pictured  the  great  satisfaction  that 
would  follow  w*hen  all  doubts  had  been  set  at  rest. 

"I  never  had  any  until  you  put  them  in  mv  head," 
said  Meyer,  reproachfully. 


34  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS, 

"They'd  have  been  sure  to  come,  sooner  or  later.  It 
won't  hurt  you  or  him,  when  it's  over." 

"It  hurts  me  now,  though,"  said  the  shaking  voice. 

"You'll  be  happy  enough  to  make  up  for  it  if  he 
proves  all  right." 

"And  supposing — mind,  I  only  say  supposing — he 
should  prove — the  other  way " 

There  was  such  agony  in  the  trembling  tones  that 
Lindes  felt  a  touch  of  contrition.  In  his  heart  he  had 
little  doubt  of  Carl.  At  any  rate  it  was  too  late  now 
to  back  out.  He  had  got  Meyer  into  this  thing  and 
he  must  see  it  through. 

During  the  first  month  two  letters  were  received 
from  Meyer  by  his  ward.  Both  were  very  brief  and 
contained  little  besides  the  information  that  he  had 
reached  Omaha  and  San  Francisco.  Later  a  third 
came  from  Mr.  Lindes  and  contained  the  disquieting 
news  that  Mr.  Meyer  was  acting  queerly.  A  physician 
who  had  been  called  in  feared  that  his  brain  was  af- 
fected, but  was  not  yet  certain  of  it.  Lindes  said  he 
had  suggested  that  Carl  be  sent  for,  but  his  "uncle"  did 
not  wish  him  to  leave  his  studies. 

Then  another  month  went  by  without  a  word  from 
either  of  the  voyagers.  Though  much  perturbed,  Carl 
remained  at  his  post,  like  the  Boy  on  the  Burning 
Deck,  as  he  had  been  instructed  to  do.  He  continued 
to  write  to  his  friend,  directing  to  the  last  address  he 
had  received,  that  of  the  Palace  Hotel  in  San  Francis- 
co, until  at  last  his  missives  were  returned  to  him, 
marked  "Not  called  for."  Much  distressed  he  now 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  35 

began  to  have  fears  that  something  extraordinary  had 
occured. 

Mr.  Lindes  surely  must  be  able  to  write,  in  ordinary 
circumstances,  if  Mr.  Meyer  was  not.  He  could  not 
understand  how  both  of  them  could  be  silent.  Then  a 
crisis  occured  which  had  to  be  met  heroically.  The 
bank  from  which  Carl  had  been  told  to  draw  funds 
sent  word  that  the  balance  was  nearly  extinguished 
and  requested  Mr.  Meyer's  present  address. 

Carl  went  immediately  to  the  officers  of  the  institu- 
tion and  explained  why  he  could  not  give  the  informa- 
tion they  desired.  He  asked  if  they  would  not  honor 
his  cheques  until  he  could  obtain  news  of  the  absent 
one,  but  this  on  consideration  they  felt  obliged  to  de- 
cline to  do. 

He  next  went  to  Lawyer  Uhrig's  and  asked  that  gen- 
tleman for  advice,  but  cbe  attorney  offered  nothing  of 
value.  He  did,  however,  mention  that  Meyer's  will 
was  locked  up  in  his  safe  and  that  it  left  Cafl  practic- 
ally the  whole  of  the  old  gentleman's  fortune.  If  Peter 
should  prove  to  be  dead,  the  lawyer  said  his  course  of 
action  would  be  simple.  In  that  case  he  would  sub- 
mit the  will  to  the  Court  and  turn  over  the  estate  to 
the  legatee.  He  added,  as  if  to  anticipate  the  question, 
that  until  there  was  no  doubt  of  Meyer's  decease  he 
had  no  authority  to  alienate  a  nickel  of  the  funds  in  his 
hands. 

"Was  there  any  rupture  between  you  before  he  went 
away  ?"  he  asked,  pointedly. 

"Rupture?    Oh,  no!" 

"It's  a  strange  affair.  Have  you  got  Lindes'  letter 
in  your  pocket?" 


36  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Carl  produced  the  document  and  the  lawyer  read  H 
through  several  times. 

"I  don't  wish  to  alarm  you,  young  man,"  he  said, 
after  a  pause,  "but  don't  you  think  it  rather  queer  that 
Peter  didn't  want  you  sent  for  when  he  was  feeling  ill  ? 
Doesn't  it  seem  as  if  he  had  changed  his  mind  about 
you?  He  may  have  decided  to  make  a  new  will,  be- 
queathing his  property  in  some  other  way." 

"Yes,"  said  Carl,  trying  to  make  out  the  connection. 
"But  I  don't  see  as  that  would  be  any  reason  for  not 
sending  for  me.  Nobody  understands  him  as  well 
as  I.  Of  course,"  he  added,  slowly,  "if  there's  any 
trouble  with  his  brain — Don't  you  think  I  ought  to  go 
to  him  anyway,  Mr.  Uhrig? — that  he  would  be  glad  to 
have  me  come,  even  if  he  didn't  feel  like  sending  for 
me?" 

The  lawyer  was  silent  for  some  seconds. 

"You  don't  know  where  he  is,"  he  said,  finally. 
"And  if  you  did  it  costs  money  to  travel." 

"I  could  raise  enough  to  get  to  San  Francisco.  If 
he  is  very  sick  he  can't  have  gone  far  from  there.  I'm 
going."  And  Carl  roused  himself  and  put  on  a  look  of 
determination. 

Mr.  Uhrig  grew  thoughtful  again. 

"If  he  has  made  a  new  will  or  decided  to,  which  I 
suspect,  you'll  have  to  be  pretty  quick  if  you  expect  to 
influence  him,"  he  said. 

The  young  man  flashed  a  look  of  indignation  at  the 
speaker.  Twice  he  opened  his  mouth,  but  could  not 
find  words  deep  enough  to  utter  the  thoughts  in  his 
mind.  He  arose  instead  and  turned  abruptly  to  the 
door. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS,  3£ 

"I  suppose  I  could  lend  you  a  hundreci  OT  two  on 

my  own  account,"  Uhrig  called  after  him. 

Carl  shook  his  head,  without  glancing  back.  He 
would  have  accepted  the  offer  gladly  a  moment  earlier, 
but  now  that  the  lawyer  had  practically  accused  him 
of  wishing  to  wrest  a  fortune  from  Mr.  Meyer  on  his 
deathbed,  he  could  not  touch  his  money.  It  would 
burn  his  fingers. 

The  same  evening  Carl  telegraphed  to  the  Palace 
Hotel,  asking  if  they  could  give  him  the  present  ad- 
dress of  Peter  Meyer.  One  of  the  hotel  people  respond- 
ed that  it  was  supposed  the  gentleman  had  gone  to  the 
Hawaiian  Islands,  but  they  were  not  sure  about  it. 
The  anxious  inquirer  waited  two  weeks  longer,  hoping 
each  day  a  letter  would  arrive  to  relieve  his  suspense, 
but  none  came.  In  the  meantime  he  dismissed  his 
tutor  and  reduced  his  living  expenses  to  the  narrowest 
limit.  He  had  acquaintances  to  whom  he  might  have 
applied  for  a  loan,  but  with  such  uncertain  prospects 
of  payment  he  hesitated  to  ask  aid  of  any  of  them. 

At  last  he  resolved  to  set  out  on  a  personal  tour 
of  investigation.  The  continued  silence  of  the  absent 
men  was  susceptible  of  the  most  alarming  interpreta- 
tion. If  he  could  reach  San  Francisco  he  felt  that  he 
should  be  able  to  trace  their  movements  in  some  way 
and  the  telegraph  and  mail  had  proved  unsatisfactory 
mediums.  He  pawned  his  watch  and  chain,  with  what 
other  things  he  could  spare,  and  drew  out  the  last  cent 
of  the  small  balance  remaining  to  his  credit  in  the 
bank.  Leaving  word  where  a  dispatch  or  letter  would 
reach  him,  he  then  began  his  journey  to  the  Pacific 
Slope. 


38  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

As  it  was  imperative  that  he  should  travel  economi- 
cally, he  did  not  secure  Pullman  accommodations  either 
for  day  or  night.  He  even  packed  a  basket  with  edi- 
bles, instead  of  dining  at  restaurants  on  the  way.  It 
was  a  hard  experience,  used  as  he  was  to  traveling  re- 
gardless of  cost,  but  he  bore  it  bravely.  The  hope 
that  he  would  find  his  lost  friend  buoyed  him  up 
through  everything. 

Arriving  at  San  Francisco,  Carl  lost  no  time  in 
visiting  the  agents  of  the  lines  that  run  steamers  to 
Honolulu,  but  the  sought-for  names  were  not  found  on 
any  of  their  lists.  As  late  passengers  sometimes  get 
their  tickets  from  the  purser,  this  did  not  absolutely 
prove  that  the  men  had  not  taken  passage  in  one  of 
tfiese  boats.  All  the  other  lines  that  leave  San  Fran- 
cisco by  sea  were  next  investigated,  with  the  same  re- 
sult. 

The  clerk  at  the  Palace  who  thought  he  had  heard 
Mr.  Meyer  and  his  friend  talking  of  going  to  Honolulu 
was  found,  but  was  unable  to  swear  that  he  was  cor- 
rect in  his  recollection.  He  remembered  Mr.  Meyer 
very  well  and  recalled  the  fact  that  Carl  had  been  there 
with  him  on  two  previous  occasions.  All  he  was 
sure  of  was  that  the  old  gentleman  was  in  very  feeble 
health,  the  books  showing  that  his  meals  were  sent  to 
his  room  frequently  during  his  stay  at  the  hostelrie. 
Mr.  Lindes  and  he  left  the  house  together  in  a  carriage 
after  their  bill  was  paid,  but  the  utmost  efforts  failed  to 
locate  the  cabman  who  took  them. 

Grown  quite  disconsolate  over  tihis  condition  of 
things,  Carl  wandered  aimlessly  about  the  city  for 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

several  days,  peering  into  every  face  he  met  in  tKC 
vain  hope  that  it  might  be  one  of  the  lost  ones.  Find- 
ing his  nerves  getting  shaky,  it  occured  to  him  one. 
afternoon  to  take  a  row  in  the  Bay  as  an  economical 
method  of  pulling  himself  and  a  boat  together.  Per- 
haps but  for  the  incident  which  accompanied  this  de- 
cision, you  might  not  have  found  this  story  worth- 
reading. 

Although  the  day  was  cloudy  and  rather  cold  Carl's 
attention  was  soon  attracted  by  a  party  of  pleasure 
seekers  who  were  navigating  the  waters  in  a  small 
sloop  and  of  wJhom  only  one  seemed  to  find  cause  for 
fear  in  the  occasional  gusts  of  wind  that  bent  the  mast 
and  caused  the  little  vessel  to  careen.  The  ferry-boats, 
passing  and  repassing  on  their  trips  to  and  from  Oak- 
land and  Alameda,  as  well  as  occasional  other  steam 
craft,  took  up  more  of  the  attention  of  the  party,  on 
account  of  the  rocking  motion  caused  by  the  wake 
each  left  behind  it.  There  were  two  young  men  and  a 
young  lady,  who  seemed  to  be  enjoying  themselves 
hugely.  They  had  as  chaperon  a  more  mature  wo- 
man, who  uttered  little  screams  from  time  to  time, 
which  it  was  evident  she  did  her  best  to  suppress.  The 
elder  of  the  young  men,  who  was  managing  the  boat, 
took  a  quiet  delight  in  her  alarm,  though  he  was  heard 
to  assure  her  that  there  was  not  the  slightest  danger. 
As  the  sloop  tacked  up  and  down  the  Bay  it  passed 
close  to  Carl's  and  the  voices  of  those  on  board  could 
be  heard  distinctly. 

"Mr.  Loring  knows  how  to  manage  a  boat  as  well 


ifO  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

as  a  sailor,"  said  the  young  lady,  a  slight  but  well- 
made  brunette  with  very  large  and  expressive  black 
eyes.  "You  needn't  give  yourself  the  least  uneasi- 
ness, Miss  Stevens.  Besides,  we  are  going  ashore  now 
in  a  few  moments." 

"Can — can  you  swim?"  asked  the  lady  addressed, 
anxiously. 

"A  little,  and  Mr.  Loring  can — and  Billy — can't  you, 
Billy  ?  If  we  get  tipped  over  there  are  people  all  about 
who  would  rush  to  our  rescue.  A  little  adventure 
would  only  add  to  the  romance  of  the  sail." 

"Don't — joke  about  it !  "  was  the  nervous  rejoinder. 
"I  think  none  of  us  wants  to  risk  death." 

"Why,  aren't  you  prepared !  "  asked  the  young  man 
who  had  been  designated  as  "Billy;"  at  which  Miss 
Stevens  only  looked  more  worried  than  ever. 

So  occupied  was  the  party  with  this  debate  that  none 
of  them  saw  until  it  was  too  late  an  actual  danger  that 
threatened  them.  A  tug  which  had  been  hidden  by  a 
large  vessel  was  bearing  down  upon  them  with  velocity. 
Even  Carl  Meyer,  who  had  been  listening  with  some 
amusement  to  the  conversation,  did  not  notice  the  tug 
until  it  liad  become  a  source  of  peril  to  the  little  sloop. 
He  perceived  it,  however,  a  second  before  the  yacht- 
ing party  did,  and  uttered  a  cry  at  the  top  of  his  voice, 
which  was  heard  by  the  steersman  of  the  tug  and  the 
skipper  of  the  sloop  at  the  same  moment. 

It  was  now  too  late  to  prevent  the  impending  crash. 
Mr.  Loring,  thoroughly  aroused  to  his  danger,  did  his 
utmost  to  keep  his  slight  craft  out  of  the  path  of  the 
coming  monster,  but  to  no  purpose.  Though  a  direct 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  41 

collision  was  avoided,  the  tug  struck  the  side  of  the 
sailboat  just  at  the  sternsheets  and  threw  it  violent- 
ly over.  In  a  second  all  of  its  passengers  were  flound* 
ering  in  the  water  and  none  of  them  found  it  quite  as 
amusing  as  the  recent  discussion  might  have  led  them 
to  suppose. 

Probably  there  never  was  much  danger  that  any 
of  the  wrecked  people  would  actually  drown.  The 
men  on  the  tug  hastened  to  bring  it  into  position  to 
assist  them.  Another  sailboat  that  was  but  a  few  hun- 
dred feet  away,  and  had  thought  a  sufficient  distance 
for  safety  allowed  between  the  sloop  and  the  tug,  bore 
down  toward  the  struggling  ones.  Quicker  than  any 
of  the  others,  Carl  Meyer,  as  good  a  swimmer  as  ever 
traversed  the  blue  waters  of  San  Francisco  Bay,  pulled 
his  skiff  with  rapid  movements  to  where  the  brunette 
beauty  had  sunk;  and,  springing  over  the  side,  he 
caught  her  as  she  came  up  after  going  down  but  once. 

The  young  lady  had  not  lost  her  presence  of  mind,  al- 
though she  was  naturally  much  startled.  She  caught 
a  long  breath  as  she  felt  a  strong  arm  encircle  her 
waist,  and  then  let  her  head  rest  peacefully  on  a  broad 
shoulder  to  which  the  arm  belonged.  Feeling  the 
strength  with  which  she  was  supported  she  speedily 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  she  was  as  safe  as  if  on 
land,  though  it  must  be  admitted  she  was  hardly  as 
dry. 

Something  which  may  best  be  described  as  a  species 
of  inertia  prevented  her  struggling  to  escape  the  clasp 
of  this  total  stranger  or  even  of  making  the  least  in- 
quiry as  to  her  late  fellow  passengers.  Presently  she 


A2  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

felt  herself  lifted  aboard  the  steam  tug,  where  to  her 
partly  benumbed  senses  there  came  words  which 
showed  that  her  friends  were  also  safe.  And  it  was 
then,  when  there  was  no  longer  the  slightest  danger  to 
anybody,  that  she  did  the  distinctly  feminine  thing  and 
lost  consciousness. 

As  soon  as  Carl  had  relinquished  his  pretty  burden 
to  the  outstretched  hands  awaiting  her,  he  took  up  his 
oars  and  pulled  hastily  for  the  shore.  He  wanted  to 
escape  the  infliction  of  thanks,  which  he  supposed 
would  be  showered  upon  him  for  doing  a  simple  act 
of  duty.  In  the  excitement  his  escape  was  not  noticed 
at  first  and  then  the  rescued  people  were  too  busy 
congratulating  themselves  on  the  safe  ending  of  their 
mishap  to  dwell  long  on  his  part  in  the  affair. 

"I  wish  that  fellow  had  waited,  Amy,"  was  the  only 
remark  about  him  at  the  time,  and  this  by  Brother 
Billy.  "I  would  have  liked  to  give  him  something 
handsome." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS, 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MR.    PYNE,   THE  DETECTIVE. 

As  he  rowed  back  to  the  place  where  he  had  hired  his 
skiff  Carl  thought  of  little  in  connection  with  this  ad- 
venture except  that  he  was  very  wet  and  rather  chilly. 
Or  at  least  if  he  had  other  thoughts  he  was  not  at  first 
conscious  of  them.  The  substratum  of  special  interest 
in  the  fair  creature  he  had  rescued  did  not  make  it- 
self immediately  apparent  to  his  somewhat  slow  intel- 
lect. 

He  had  a  methodical  habit  of  doing  things  in  a 
regular  order  of  rotation.  When  he  saw  a  young  lady 
sinking  in  the  water  it  was  the  natural  thing  to  dive 
after  and  bring  her  to  a  place  of  safety.  This  finished, 
it  was  equally  natural  to  row  without  delay  in  the  di- 
rection of  dry  clothing  and  a  hot  bath. 

His  landlord  was  much  surprised  when  he  saw  his 
guest  alight  from  a  cab,  which  by  some  miracle  Carl 
had  discovered  near  the  boat  landing.  As  a  general 
thing  cabs  are  not  obtainable  in  San  Francisco  during 
the  daytime  without  ordering  them  from  a  stable.  The 
young  man's  drenched  condition  aroused  the  land- 
lord's curiosity,  but  Carl  passed  him  with  a  mere  nod 
and  went  to  his  room,  as  if  he  was  in  the  habit  of  swim- 
ming in  the  Bay  fully  dressed,  every  afternoon  of  his 
life. 


44  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Disrobing  as  speedily  as  possible  he  got  into  a  tub 
of  hot  water.  Then  he  rubbed  himself  briskly  with  a 
rough  towel,  to  bring  back  the  full  measure  of  his 
natural  circulation,  and  habited  himself  in  dry  gar- 
ments throughout.  Calling  a  servant  he  sent  his  wet 
clothing  to  be  dried  and  pressed,  after  which  he  lit  a 
pipe  and  puffed  meditatively. 

Naturally  the  experience  through  which  he  had  just 
passed  was  the  theme  that  filled  his  brain.  The  young 
lady  he  had  rescued  was  decidedly  pretty.  His  mind 
lingered  over  the  lines  of  her  face,  as  he  remembered 
them.  He  saw  again  her  dark  eyes,  filled  with  innocent 
fun  as  she  chattered  over  the  possibility  of  a  danger  she 
little  thought  so  near ;  then  charged  with  a  wild  alarm, 
as  the  tug  bore  down  upon  the  frail  craft  on  which 
she  rode;  then  closed,  as  her  head  lay  quite  still  on 
4he  shoulder  of  her  rescuer. 

Carl's  breath  came  more  quickly  as  he  scented  again 
the  ambrosia  of  the  mouth  that  had  been  pressed 
against  his  cheek.  The  pulsations  of  her  heart  had 
struck  through  to  the  hand  that  clasped  her  gown  and 
he  felt  it  still  tingling. 

For  some  seconds  he  had  held  her  as  closely  as  \1 
she  were  his  accepted  sweetheart ;  then  other  hands 
had  snatched  her  from  him;  and  he  had  awakened 
roughly  from  his  di  earn  not  even  half  f ormed j  and  that 
was,  and  was  to  be,  the  end  of  it  all. 

It  came  into  his  mind  disagreeably  that  it  was  not 
merely  because  he  was  cold  and  wet  that  he  had  made 
h:s  hastv  exit  from  the  scene  of  his  exploit — that 
there  were  stronger  reasons  why  he  had  wished  to  es- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  45 

cape  unnoticed,  without  giving  his  name  or  inquiring 
hers.  A  few  months  ago,  when  his  prospects  were  wide- 
ly different,  when  he  had  a  rich  adopted  father  and 
could  hold  up  his  head  in  any  society,  he  would  certain- 
ly have  introduced  himself  to  the  friends  of  the  girl  he 
had  saved  and  begged  them  to  send  him  word  how  she 
came  out  of  the  accident. 

Today  he  was  a  pauper.  Those  people  were  of  an- 
other rank.  Had  he  overheard  the  suggestion  of  one 
of  the  party  that  he  could  have  something  in  a  pecuni- 
ary way  he  would  not  have  been  surprised.  It  was  a 
perfectly  natural  thought. 

Slowly  he  pulled  away  at  his  meerschaum.  Tobacco 
can  yield  some  comfort  in  most  disagreeable  situa- 
tions. 

A  knock  on  his  door  aroused  him.  Presuming  that 
it  was  one  of  the  hotel  people  he  called,  "Come  in!" 
but  arose  with  an  apology  when  he  discovered  his 
error.  The  caller  was  a  fellow  of  about  his  own  age, 
who  roomed  in  the  house,  and  with  whom  he  had  pass- 
ed a  few  words  at  the  dinner  table.  They  had  ex- 
changed cards  and  he  knew  that  the  name  of  his  visitor 
was  Sumner  Barney. 

"I  hope  I  don't  interrupt  you,"  said  Barney,  good- 
naturedly,  "but  I  heard  you  came  home  soaked  and 
my  curiosity  got  the  better  of  me.  Would  you  mind 
telling  how  it  happened?" 

"Not  at  all." 

Rather  glad  to  have  someone  to  talk  to,  Carl  related 
th  particulars  of  the  incident,  while  the  other  listened 
with  undisguised  interest. 


46  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"What  was  the  young  lady's  name  ?"  asked  Barney, 
when  the  brief  tale  came  to  an  end. 

"I  haven't  the  least  idea." 

"You  didn't  ask!" 

"No,  I  was  glad  enough  to  hurry  home  and  get  into 
something  dry.  Her  friends  were  abundantly  able  to 
take  care  of  her." 

The  visitor  whistled,  "Send  me  a  kiss  by  wire- 
Baby,  my  heart's  on  fire,"  and  then  paused  abruptly, 

"You're  not  very  romantic,"  he  said,  with  a  laugh. 
"But  to  tell  the  truth  your  adventure  wasn't  original. 
The  story  papers  wouldn't  give  a  fiver  for  it.  Young 
and  pretty  girls — she  was  pretty,  of  course?" 

Carl's  disturbed  face  was  his  only  answer. 

"Young  and  pretty  girls  have  been  rescued  from 
drowning  in  half  the  novels  ever  written.  Why 
couldn't  you  have  dragged  her  from  in  front  of  an 
automobile — even  locomotives  are  done  to  death.  I'm 
trying  to  make  a  hit  in  the  short  story  line  and  had 
great  hopes  this  was  something  I  could  use.  Just  pull- 
ing a  beauty  out  of  the  Bay  wouldn't  buy  the  ink  it 
would  cost  to  write  it  up." 

The  ridiculousness  of  the  idea  finally  forced  itself 
through  the  young  German's  brain  and  a  smile  came 
to  his  features. 

"I  am  sorry  it  wasn't  an  automobile,  for  your  sake," 
said  he.  "Besides,  that  would  have  been  more  com- 
fortable for  me  than  icewater.  I  only  hope  the  lady 
won't  get  an  illness  from  the  effects  of  her  ducking." 

Mr.  Barney  reluctantly  bade  farewell  to  his  hopes  of 
a  romance  and  resumed  his  pumping  operations  in  an- 
other direction. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  47 

"I  suppose  you're  looking  for  a  business  opening?" 
he  suggested. 

"No,  I'm  looking  for  a  friend  who  has  disappeared." 

"Ah !  "  Barney  brightened  up  again.  "That's  more 
in  my  line.  A  mystery,  eh?"  (He  got  out  a  notebook.) 
"Is  it  anything  I  could  use  for  a  magazine — I  beg 
your  pardon,  I  hope  I  don't  seem  inquisitive.  Have 
you  tried  the  detective  agencies  ?  No !  I'm  well  ac- 
quainted with  Maple  &  Pyne,  the  best  people  around 
here,  and  I  will  introduce  you  to  them  with  pleasure." 

This  interested  Carl,  but  at  the  very  moment  he 
started  to  catch  at  the  straw  held  out  he  remembered 
that  he  lacked  the  first  essential  to  make  use  of  it — 
funds. 

"No,  I  thank  you,"  he  answered.  "I'm  afraid  they 
couldn't  help  me.  I've  got  no  money  to  use  in  that 
way." 

"Let's  hear  the  story,"  exclaimed  the  breezy  Mr. 
Barney.  "I  might  use  it  in  one  of  the  evening  papers — 
I  mean,  perhaps  I  might  be  of  service  to  you  in  some 
way — you  may  command  me,  I'm  sure,"  he  rattled  on. 
"I've  lots  of  time  on  my  hands  and  I'd  be  glad  to 
put  it  at  your  disposal." 

Slowly  the  main  points  came  out.  It  seemed  to  Carl 
that  there  could  be  no  harm  in  setting  another  brain 
to  work  on  >his  problem,  where  help  was  so  necessary 
and  so  hard  to  obtain. 

The  strange  cessation  of  correspondence  and  the  dis- 
appearance of  Mr.  Meyer  and  his  friend  interested 
Barney  very  much.  He  murmured  several  times  that 
it  was  "most  extraordinary,"  and  at  the  close  of  the 


48  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

recital  declared  with  enthusiasm  that  he  would  start 
a  serial  on  it  at  once  if  he  only  knew  how  it  would 
end. 

"Have  you  tried  the  steamboat  people  ?"  he  asked,  as 
if  thinking  hard. 

"Every  one." 

"You're  sure  he  hasn't  gone  back  to  St.  Louis  ?" 

"I  left  word  to  have  a  dispatch  sent  in  case  they  re- 
ceived any  news,  and  I've  heard  nothing." 

"You've  notified  the  police  here?" 

"Why,  no,"  said  Carl,  astonished  at  the  suggestion. 

"Then  you  must  do  so  at  once !  "  cried  Barney,  ex- 
citedly. "It's  more  than  likely  your  friend  is  being  held 
for  a  ransom." 

"Mr.  Lindes  was  with  him  and  in  that  case  would 
have  appealed  to  the  authorities  long  ago." 

"But  supposing  a  gang  of  thugs  had  got  them 
both?"  Barney  suggested,  as  if  overjoyed  with  the 
idea.  "Perhaps  they've  been  murdered !  "  he  added, 
cheerfully.  "Did  they  carry  much  money  about  them  ?" 

The  idea  of  assassination,  which  brought  to  Barney 
merely  the  prospect  of  a  striking  plot,  sent  a  cold 
shiver  down  his  companion's  spine.  He  could  hardly 
speak  for  emotion  as  he  contemplated  the  terrible  pos- 
sibility. 

It  was  clear  to  him  now  that  he  ought  to  communi- 
cate with  the  police — that  he  should  have  done  so  long 
before.  He  regretted  bitterly  his  lack  of  means  to 
prosecute  this  search  and  began  to  dread  the  discover- 
ies that  such  an  investigation  might  reveal.  However 
he  agreed  at  once  to  the  suggestion  of  his  new  ac- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  49 

quaintance,  an'd,  as  Barney  was  the  originator  of  the 
idea,  put  himself  unreservedly  in  his  hands, 

"The  first  thing  we'd  better  do,"  said  Barney,  "is 
to  go  to  Maple  &  Pyne's  office.  I'll  have  a  talk  with 
one  of  the  firm  and  see  if  they'll  undertake  the  job  on 
chances.  You  say  you've  got  no  money  to  spare,  but 
if  Mr.  Meyer  is  found  they'll  come  out  all  right.  They're 
worth  all  the  police  departments  in  the  state.  Your 
man  will  be  discovered,  if  he's  above  ground,  as  sure 
as  you  put  these  fellows  on  the  scent." 

"How  can  I  thank  you?"  asked  Carl,  as  they  took 
their  way  toward  the  office  in  question. 

"I  don't  want  any  thanks.  All  I  ask  is  that  you 
let  me  use  the  plot.  Why,  it  will  be  a  regular  god- 
send ! " 

Mr.  Howard  Pyne  was  in  his  office,  though  the 
evening  shadows  had  fallen  and  his  usual  hour  for 
closing  had  passed.  He  nodded  familiarly  to  Barney 
and  bowed  with  more*  dignity  to  Carl.  In  the  sober 
attitude  of  the  latter  he  scented  a  case.  And  when 
Mr.  Pyne  scented  a  case  his  every  faculty  was  roused 
to  the  utmost. 

Without  delay  Barney  outlined  the  history  of  Mey- 
er's disappearance  from  St.  Louis,  as  he  had  just  learn- 
ed it.  Before  he  paused  for  breath  he  had  presented 
the  wihole  situation — the  impecuniosity  of  the  applicant 
who  accompanied  him  and  the  certainty  that  sufficient 
means  to  pay  for  the  work  would  follow  its  success- 
ful completion.  Mr.  Pyne  kept  his  eyes  fixed  on  a 
sheet  of  paper  that  lay  on  his  desk  and  never  moved  a 
muscle  till  the  voluble  talker  came  to  a  full  stop. 


5O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"He  was  going  to  the  police  headquarters  but  I  per- 
suaded him  to  come  to  you,"  were  Barney's  closing 
words. 

Then  Mr.  Pyne  looked  up.  He  was  a  man  of  forty, 
with  a  clean-cut  face  and  particularly  bright  eyes. 

"What  is  the  name  of  the  missing  gentleman?"  he 
asked.  And  with  that  word  "gentleman"  Mr.  Barney 
knew  he  had  succeeded.  Otherwise  Pyne  would  have 
referred  to  the  missing  "man." 

"Peter  Meyer,"  said  Carl,  his  voice  shaking  a  little. 

The  fear  that  some  of  Barney's  lugubrious  prognosti- 
cations might  come  true  were  troubling  him. 

"Pe-ter  Mey-er,"  repeated  Mr.  Pyne,  writing  the 
name  slowly  on  the  paper  before  him.  "Of  St.  Louis  ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Describe  him  as  accurately  as  you  can." 

The  description  was  given,  to  the  minutest  detail. 
Mr.  Pyne  made  careful  notes,  using  shorthand,  iii 
which  he  was  proficient. 

"You  may  return  tomorrow  morning,"  he  said, 
quietly,  when  this  task  was  ended.  And  'he  added  in  a 
tone  that  was  meant  especially  to  impress  Mr.  Barney,, 
"alone." 

"I  trust  you  will  begin  your  search  without  delay," 
said  Carl,  anxiously. 

"I  must  study  the  case  first.  It  does  not  do  to  leap 
before  we  look  in  such  a  matter  as  this." 

"You  don't  think  he  has  been — murdered?"  asked 
Carl,  huskily. 

"No,  I  think  we  shall  find  him  and  his  friend  alive. 
Make  your  mind  as  easy  as  you  can.  We  may  need 
your  assistance  and  you  must  keep  a  cool  head." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  5* 

Carl's  head  was  anything  but  cool.  He  had  half  ex- 
pected that  the  detective  would  produce  Mr.  Meyer 
from  some  mysterious  hidden  recess.  Pyne's  calm 
manner  disconcerted  and  distressed  him.  There  was 
nothing  to  be  done,  however,  and  after  uttering  his 
thanks  for  the  interview,  Carl  took  his  leave  with 
Mr.  Barney; 

"You  see  he  means  to  freeze  me  out,"  were  Barney's 
first  words  when  they  were  again  upon  the  street. 
"I've  got  to  rely  on  you  to  let  me  dish  the  thing  up 
when  it's  over.  It  ought  to  make  a  full-sized  romance. 
I  intended  at  first  to  offer  it  to  Short  Stories,  but  noth- 
ing less  than  the  Century  will  do  if  it  comes  out  as 
I  expect.  Say,  you'll  deal  square  with  me  ?"  he  added, 
anxiously 

Carl  hastened  to  assure  him  on  that  point.  "You 
heard  Mr.  Pyne  say  he  didn't  believe  he  was  dead," 
he  added,  joyfully. 

"Neither  do  I.  He's  held  for  ransom,  you  may  be 
sure.  Forty  chapters  at  least!  Ta-ra-ra!  Of  course 
I  shan't  use  real  names,  but  the  plot  will  be  splendid, 
Boorn-de-ay!  Old,  rich,  feeble,  held  by  thugs!  I 
wish  you'd  do  something  about  that  pretty  girl,  though. 
It  wasn't  exactly  new,  the  way  you  rescued  her,  but  it 
might  work  in  with  the  history  of  the  crime.  By 
Jove ! "  he  added,  effusively,  "you  must  hunt  her  up, 
if  only  out  of  gratitude  to  me.'* 


52  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MR,  BARNEY  HAS  A  PLA.N". 

THE  sleep  which  came  that  nigtrt  to  the  eyes  of  our 
young  hero  (as  we  might  as  well  begin  to  call  him)' 
was  much  disturbed.  Now  that  he  had  begun  to 
entertain  apprehensions  regarding  a  real  danger  to 
his  friend  and  patron  he  wanted  each  move  made 
as  quickly  as  possible.  He  felt  a  sort  of  guilt  be- 
cause he  had  delayed  to  start  inquiries  by  trained 
experts  a  month  ago;  news  of  the  lost  ones  might 
have  been  obtained  before  this — and  who  could  say 
how  important  a  single  hour  might  be  ? 

Nothing  in  Carl's  previous  career  fitted  him  in  the 
least  to  meet  such  an  emergency.  He  knew  of  course 
that  Mr.  Meyer  was  old  and  feeble,  and  that  he  often 
carried  money  enough  on  his  person  to  tempt  die  cu- 
pidity of  thieves,  but  such  things  as  abduction  and 
murder  belonged  to  spheres  of  life  about  which  he  had 
only  a  very  remote  conception.  When  he  had  puzzled 
over  his  "uncle's"  strange  silence  the  fact  that  the 
stronger  and  well-contained  Lindes  was  with  him  had 
prevented  all  fears  of  that  nature. 

He  even  began  to  hope,  sadly  enough,  that  the  real 
explanation  would  be  found  in  Mr.  Uhrig's  hint  that 
Peter  intended  to  abandon  him  and  had  taken  this 
strange  method  of  doing  it  Even  that  would  be  better 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  53 

t.han  these  horrible  possibilities  regarding  the  old  gen- 
tleman's personal  safety. 

There  were  several  facts  that  could  not  be  disguted. 
Meyer  had  not  written  to  Carl  or  any  other  of  his 
closest  friends  for  six  or  seven  weeks.  He  had  dis- 
appeared as  if  my  magic.  It  was  the  duty  of  one  who 
had  been  treated  so  long  like  an  adopted  son  to  follow 
every  clue  until  he  learned  the  truth.  The  introduction 
to  the  firm  of  Maple  &  Pyne  seemed  like  a  piece  of 
special  Providence.  Those  wise  unravellers  of  tangled 
skeins  would  surely  find  some  solution  to  the  puzzle. 

While  preserving  his  unruffled  exterior,  Mr.  Pyne 
didsa  great  deal  of  thinking  during  the  evening  follow- 
ing Carl's  call  at  his  office.  It  was  often  said  of  his 
firm  that  Pyne's  part  of  the  business  called  for  the 
most  thought,  while  Maple's  demanded  the  most  act- 
ion. Pyne's  closest  friends  often  asserted  that  he 
could  study  out  a  case  in  his  sleep;  and  it  did  fre- 
quently happen  that  an  affair  which  puzzled  him  when 
he  dropped  off  to  slumber  came  out  clear  and  plain 
when  he  awoke  from  a  rest  that  had  been  absolutely 
undisturbed. 

It  was  while  dressing,  on  the  morning  following  his 
introduction  to  the  reader,  that  Howard  Pyne  remark- 
ed to  himself,  in  the  solitude  of  his  chamber,  that  his 
agency  was  in  a  fair  way  to  make  a  good  thing.  And 
when  Howard  Pyne  got  this  far  he  generally  had  a 
pretty  clear  idea  of  what  he  was  talking  about. 

While  sipping  his  coffee,  in  dressing-gown  and  slip- 
pers, he  had  the  morning  paper  brought  to  him.  He 
glanced  over  its  columns  rapidly,  with  the  trained  eye 


54  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

of  an  expert,  pausing  occasionally  for  a  second  or  two 
at  some  piece  of  news.  Suddenly  he  chanced  upon  one 
which  caused  even  his  steady  head  to  vibrate.  He 
caught  his  breath  several  times  as  he  read  and  re-read 
the  paragraphs  that  riveted  his  attention. 

Putting  down  the  paper  at  last,  he  rang  for  hot 
water  and  proceeded  leisurely  to  shave  himself.  When 
this  was  done  'he  wrote  a  brief  note  to  his  partner,  ask- 
ing him  to  call  on  him  before  going  to  the  office. 

Mr.  Pyne  had  never  known  the  "shaving  test"  to 
fail.  He  did  not  wish  Mr.  Maple  to  see  that  he  had  un- 
dergone the  least  trace  of  excitement.  The  dexterous 
manipulation  of  the  razor  showed  that  he  could  appear 
as  calm  as  an  iceberg,  notwithstanding  the  tempta- 
tion to  show  nervousness. 

The  reason  why  he  had  sent  for  his  partner  was 
that  he  wished  to  consult  with  him  alone  and  knew 
that  Carl  would  be  certain  to  put  in  an  early  appear- 
ance at  the  office.  When  Mr.  Maple  appeared  he  did 
not  look  in  the  least  like  the  Hawkshaw  dear  to  the 
readers  of  fiction.  He  was,  on  the  contrary,  apparently 
an  everyday  sort  of  mam,  who  might  have  been  a 
grocer  or  drygoods  dealer.  He  seemed  a  combina- 
tion of  earnestness  and  taciturnity ;  the  embodiment  of 
force,  'but  of  the  quietest  kind.  When  he  was  admit- 
ted he  did  not  evince  the  least  curiosity  as  to  why  he 
had  been  summoned.  He  merely  uttered  a  conven- 
tional good-morning,  and  took  a  seat. 

"It's  aibout  iihat  affair  of  Peter  Meyer's,"  said  Pyne, 
speaking  with  directness.  "The  nephew  was  in  to 
see  me  last  night/' 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  5$ 

Mr.  Maple  listened,  but  made  no  remark. 

"He's  been  hunting  for  the  old  man,  in  the  natural 
channels,  and  had  an  idea  that  he'd  been  abducted  or 
murdered.  I'm  going  to  take  the  case  on  speculation. 
Have  you  seen  the  morning  papers  ?" 

Mr.  Maple  shook  his  head. 

"Well,  listen  to  this:"  (He  read  aloud:) 

An  aoddent  occurred  in  the  Bay  yesterday  after- 
noon, which  happily  resulted  in  noifliing  worse  than  a 
scare  and  wetting  for  a  party  of  yachting  people.  A 
sloop  containing  Mr.  William  Van  Steuben,  Miss  Van 
Steuben,  Miss  Stevens  and  Mr.  S.  Loring  was  run 
doswn  not  far  from  tihe  Ferry  House  by  the  tug 
''Lucky  Baldwin,"  through  what  seems  to  hJave  been 
aflmoist  criminal  carelessness.  All  the  people  men- 
tioned were  thrown  inlto  tihe  water,  but  were  luckily 
rescued  by  the  tug  and  a  young  man  Whose  name  has 
not  been  ascertained.  The  Van  Steubens  are  of  the 
family  well-known  in  Honolulu  and  Miss  Van  Steuben 
recently  graduated  from  Miss  Williamson's  school  on 
the  Heights. 

Mr.  Maple  listened  attentively  enough,  but  his  face 
gave  no  sign  that  he  found  the  paragraph  particularly 
exciting. 

"Well?"  he  remarked  at  last,  interrogatively. 

"Just  this.  The  young  man's  name  has  been  as- 
certained—by me.  And  he  is  the  nephew  of  his  long- 
lost  uncle." 

"Queer,"  was  the  quiet  remark  of  the  other  man. 

"It  would  be,  in  any  business  but  ours.  Now,  I 
should  say  this  young  man,  Carl,  had  best  be  left  to 
me  to  manage." 


56  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"As  you  please.    How  is  he  off  for  funds ?" 

"Pretty  short." 

"And  you'll  let  him  get  a  little  shorter?" 

"Naturally."  Mr.  Pyne's  inexpressive  face  soften- 
ed into  something  almost  like  a  smile. 

"Is  there  anything  else,"  asked  Mr.  Maple. 

"No.  I  only  suggest  that  the  boy  had  better  not 
see  you  around  the  office.  If  you  can  come  an  hour  or 
two  late  for  the  present  I  will  get  rid  of  him  before 
you  arrive." 

No  reply  was  needed  to  this  and  Mr.  Maple  took 
his  leave  as  silently  as  he  had  made  his  appearance. 
An  hour  later  when  Mr.  Pyne  entered  his  business 
rooms  he  found  Carl  there,  as  he  expected.  The  young 
man  looked  the  eager  inquiry  that  was  in  his  mind. 

"You  had  quite  an  adventure  yesterday,"  said  Pyne. 

"A  very  slight  one.  But  about  Mr.  Meyer?  Have 
you  learned  anything?" 

"I  think  I  can  assure  you  that  he  is  alive  and  safe." 

"Where?"  asked  Carl,  breathless. 

"It  may  tike  several  days  before  I  can  answer  that 
positively." 

A  dis  pnointed  look  filled  the  anxious  eyes. 

''Have  you  formed  any  theory  as  to  his  strange  sil~ 
ence  other  than"  (the  questioner  spoke  hoarsely)  "the 
one  you  advanced  yesterday?" 

Mr.  Pyne  nodded,  like  a  man  to  whom  all  secrets 
were  onen. 

"That^  ju=t  wtat  I  have  done,  though  I  can  bring 
as  yet  n^  absolute  proof.  I  think  he  has  gone  insane." 

Carl  uttered  a  quick  exclamation  of  dismay. 


'A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  5? 

"That  would  not  account  for  Mr.  Lindes  Disap- 
pearing also,"  'he  suggested. 

"  Yes,  it  would.  At  present  I  do  not  care  to  say 
too  much  in  relation  to  the  matter.  I  have  set  in- 
vestigations on  foot  which  will  reveal  'something  in 
a  few  days.  Till  then  I  must  ask  you  to  have  patience." 

A  few  days  may  not  seem  long  in  ordinary  matters, 
but  the  time  was  likely  to  be  wearisome  enough  at 
that  juncture.  Carl's  funds  were  nearly  exhausted. 
He  had  nothing  left  that  would  bring  muoh  if  pawned. 
With  the  uncertainty  that  hung  over  him  he  could  not 
engage  himself  at  any  remunerative  occupation.  He 
was  stranded  on  a  barren  rock,  from  which  he  did  not 
even  dare  depart,  should  any  friendly  sail  come  hi 
sight  except  the  one  he  most  longed  for. 

"Come  in  any  morning  at  this  hour,"  continued  Mr. 
Pyne.  "Not  later,  as  I  am  very  busy.  I  have  your 
address.  If  anything  important  occurs  I  will  send  for 
you.  Good-day." 

Nothing  could  be  gained  by  confiding  to  this  man 
of  steel  the  extreme  paucity  of  his  resources  and  Carl 
left  the  office  much  disheartened.  Arriving  at  his 
room  his  heart  gave  a  bound  to  find  that  a  letter 
had  arrived,  bearing  his  name  and  also  the  printed 
address  of  the  sender,  Lawyer  Uhrig  of  St.  Louis. 
Eagerly  he  tore  open  the  envelope. 

But  the  contents  were  merely  formal.  No  news  of 
Mr.  Meyer  or  his  companion  had  been  received.  Uh- 
rig wrote  principally  to  say  this  and  to  add  that  if  it 
shou'd  be  shown  that  the  worst  had  happened  the  will 
in  his  safe  left  Carl  the  bulk  of  the  old  gentleman's 


$8  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

fortune.  In  'the  circumstances  a  telegram  sent  to  the 
lawyer  would  be  promptly  met  with  whatever  funds 
he  migttit  need  for  immediate  use. 

Carl's  spirits,  which  had  risen  at  sight  of  the  en- 
velope, fell  with  equal  rapidity.  He  had  no  idea  of 
accepting  anything  from  the  lawyer.  He  believed, 
if  everything  else  failed,  he  had  acquaintances  who 
would  respond  to  an  appeal.  He  could  not  receive 
any  sum  contingent  upon  the  death  of  his  old  friejid. 
One  of  the  first  things  he  did  was  to  have  a  talk 
with  his  landlord,  in  which  he  asked  for  credit  for  a  few 
weeks ;  and  the  good-natured  boniface,  reading  probity 
in  his  eyes,  readily  acceded  to  his  request.  Then  he 
wrote  to  one  of  his  St.  Louis  friends,  requesting  the 
!oan  of  a  hundred  dollars,  with  no  doubt  whatever 
that  the  answer  would  be  favorable. 

A  fortnight  passed,  during  which  nothing  of  value 
was  imparted  to  him  by  the  detective  to  whom  he  had 
intrusted  'his  cause.  To  make  matters  worse  no  reply 

'was  received  from  the  person  whom  he  had  asked  for 
a  remittance.  Sumner  Barney's  frequent  calls  were 
the  only  breaks  in  the  terrible  monotony,  and  even 
they  served  to  accentuate  the  hopelessness  of  the  situa- 
tion. Barney  was  impatient  over  the  slow  develop- 
ment of  the  mystery,  declaring  that  he  could  not  even 
begin  his  "romance"  until  he  had  an  inkling  of  the 

iJenouement.     He  did,  however,  aid  in  keeping  up 

*•  Carl's  faith  in  the  ultimate  success  of  Mr.  Pyne,  whom 
he  described  as  the  shrewdest  man  of  his  profession 

*j»  America. 

"He's  working  the  thing  all  right,"  he  used  to  say. 
can't  hurry  such  matters." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  *g 

.«*• 

When  things  are  at  their  worst,  says  the  proverb, 
they  sometimes  mend.    Three  weeks  from  the  day  on, 
which  Carl  had  first  seen  Mr.  Pyne,  he  received  a 
note  from  fhat  gentleman  asking  him  to  call  that  af-^ 
ternoon  at  five  o'clock.    Punctual  to  the  moment  he 
was  at  the  place  appointed. 

"I  have  heard  from  your  friend,"  were  the  cheer- 
ing words  that  greeted  him. 

"Where  is  he  ?"  the  young  man  almost  shouted. 

"He  was  recently  in  Honolulu,  though  he  mlay  Have 
left  tihere  now." 

"Can't  you  cable?" 

"No,  there  is  no  telegraphic  communication.  The 
day  after  I  first  saw  you  I  found  that  passengers  ans- 
wering the  description  of  those  you  seek  had  boarded 
the  Doric  just  before  one  of  her  sailings  last  month. 
From  a  Honolulu  correspondent  I  now  learn  that  two 
men — whom  I  feel  reasonably  certain  are  the  ones — 
were  recently  at  the  Royal  Hawaiian  Hotel." 

Carl's  excitement  did  not  abate. 

"The  strange  thing  aboult  the  matter,"  continued 
Pyne,  "is  that  both  registered  under  different  names 
from  those  we  suppose  them  to  own.  The  one  I  take 
to  be  your  friend  has  attracted  notice  by  the  oddity  of 
his  conduct,  which  confirms  my  belief  that  his  mind 
is  unhinged." 

"But  why  ftias  not  Mr.  Lindes  written?" 

"Perhaps  because  he  has  some  purpose  of  his  own 
in  connection  with  Mr.  Meyer's  estate.  Mind,  I  only 
say  'perhaps.'  My  advice  to  you  is  to  take  the  next 
s!  earner  and  satisfy  yourself  that  your  uncle  is  being 
fairly  dealt  with." 


6O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

There  was  no  help  for  it  now;  Carl  was  obliged  to 
reveal  the  fact  that  his  purse  was  empty,  that  he  owed 
quite  a  sum  for  board,  and  that  a  friend  to  whom  he 
had  written  for  aid  had  not  replied  to  his  communica- 
tion. It  was  a  bitter  pill,  but  he  had  to  swallow  it.  Mr. 
Pyne  listened  and  looked  thoughtful. 

"Who  has  charge  of  Mr.  Meyer's  affairs  ?"  he  asked. 

"A  lawyer  named  Johann  Uhrig." 

"Wouldn't  he  advance  you  what  you  need?" 

"I  would  not  permit  him  to  do  so.  I  do  not  feel 
justified  in  using  any  funds  of  Mr.  Meyer's." 

Mr.  Pyne  said  this  was  unfortunate.  Much  might 
depend  on  quick  action  at  the  present  moment.  His 
firm  had  gone  on  thus  far  at  its  own  expense,  but  it 
would  not  be  justified  in  continuing  without  having 
its  costs  guaranteed.  He  told  Carl  to  call  again  on 
the  following  morning  and  in  the  meantime  he  would 
study  the  problem.  He  earnestly  advised  the  young 
man,  however,  to  think  over  his  list  of  acquaintances 
and  try  some  of  the  others  for  a  loan. 

"Little  can  be  done  in  this  world  without  money," 
was  the  very  sagacious  and  very  true  remark  which  he 
made  in  closing. 

The  next  evening  Barney  called  at  Carl's  room  to 
see  why  he  had  not  come  down  to  dinner.  He  had 
waited  for  him  half  an  hour  already,  he  said.  Carl  re- 
sponded that  he  had  no  appetite,  but  finally  consented 
to  try  to  eat  something.  At  the  table  the  latest  de- 
velopments in  the  Meyer  case  were  related  and  dis- 
cussed. 

"I  can't  think  of  any  way  out  of  my  dilemma,**  was 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  6 1 

Carl's  doleful  exclamation  when  he  had  finished  the 
recital. 

The  soup  and  fish  had  been  removed  untouched. 
The  young  men  were  too  much  engaged  to  attend 
to  either. 

"I've  got  it ! "  exclaimed  Barney  at  last,  so  loud 
that  several  diners  in  the  vicinity  turned  their  heads. 
"You  must  go  to  Honolulu." 

"Without  a  dollar  to  pay  my  fare?" 

"If  that  could  be  arranged?  You'd  jump  at  the 
chance,  eh?" 

"Indeed  I  would ;  but  what  is  your  plan  ?" 

Barney  studied  a  moment  before  he  replied. 

"Pyne  is  a  stayer,"  he  said  at  last.  "When  he's  got 
started  with  a  thing  he  don't  like  to  give  up  beaten. 
He  may  hate  to  put  his  hand  in  his  pocket,  but  I 
think  he'll  do  it  if  he's  approached  in  the  right  way. 
Go  around  there  in  the  morning1  and  tell  him  if  he'll 
furnish  the  tickets  you'll  make  the  trip,  giving  him 
a  note  for  the  amount  they  cost.  I'd  bet  my  head 
that'll  fetch  him !  Hold  on,"  he  added,  "it  won't  do 
to  wait.  The  Australia  sails  tomorrow.  We  must  see 
him  tonight.  Come,  never  mind  the  dinner.  I'll  go 
right  over  with  you." 

Although  it  occurred  to  Carl  that  Mr.  Barney's  in- 
fluence was  not  likely  to  have  much  effect,  he  could 
not  resist  the  only  person  who  held  out  a  chance  to 
him.  With  quick  steps  they  reached  the  house  they 
sought  and  presently  were  closeted  with  the  detective, 
who  listened  to  the  plan  outlined. 

Mr.  Pyne  was  in  the  habit  of  thinking  rapidly  and 


62  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

as  soon  as  the  scheme  was  duly  unfolded  he  lifted  a 
finger  to  indicate  that  he  wished  to  be  undisturbed. 
After  awhile  he  went  to  a  desk,  took  out  writing  ma- 
terials and  drew  up  a  document,  which,  first  reading 
over  several  times  slowly,  he  passed  to  Carl.  It  was 
an  agreement  for  a  loan  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars,  to  be  repaid  within  nine  months,  with  interest, 
or  within  two  months  of  any  previous  date  at  which  he 
might  receive  his  inheritance  as  Peter  Meyer's  heir. 

"I  decline  to  sign  that,  sir !  "  was  Carl's  exclama- 
tion, as  he  handed  the  paper  back,  "unless  you  erase 
the  second  provision." 

Mr.  Pyne  reddened,  swallowed  hard,  and  seemed 
in  doubt  for  an  instant  what  to  do. 

"All  right,  111  erase  it,"  he  said  finally.  "And  you're 
to  go  on  the  Australia  tomorrow." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  63 


CHAPTER  VI. 

I  • 

SCENES  ON  THE  WHARF. 

THE  scene  at  the  wharf  when  the  Australia  was 
about  to  depart  on  her  trans-Pacific  trip  was  the  one 
common  on  such  occasions  and  yet  full  of  interest  to 
all  who  witnessed  it  for  die  first  time.  The  steamer's 
deck  was  crowded  with  passengers  and  with  friends 
who  had  come  to  bid  t(hem  good-bye.  The  decks  and 
cabins  were  so  jammed  with  people  that  locomotion 
was  well  nigh  impossible.  When  the  signal  was  giv- 
en, "All  ashore  who  are  going!"  dozens  of  people 
went  down  the  plank,  where  an  officer  was  stationed 
to  see  that  none  returned  unless  provided  with  passage 
tickets. 

The  pier  remained  to  the  last  crowded  with  those 
Who  had  left  the  steamer,  most  of  them  occupied  in 
shouting  farewell  messages.  Many  of  the  ladies  on 
board  the  vessel  had  their  arms  full  of  flowers.  One 
newly  wedded  couple  was  almost  buried  in  gifts  of 
that  description.  The  mails  were  the  last  thing  to  ar- 
rive, but  finally  the  whistle  was  heard,  the  propeller 
began  to  revolve  and  the  boat  moved  slowly  from  her 
position,  as  the  cables  were  loosened  and  drawn  on 
board. 

As  the  vessel's  prow  turned  toward  the  wide  wa- 
ters frantic  efforts  were  made  by  scores  of  people  on 


64  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


and  still  waving  handkerchiefs  and  umbrellas, 
to  get  the  best  position's  for  a  final  look  at  their  de- 
parting friends.  When  the  last  form  had  faded  from 
sight  the  passengers  began  to  make  themselves  com- 
fortable in  what  was  to  be  their  home  and  prison  for 
at  least  six  days,  the  time  which  must  elapse  before 
they  could  set  foot  on  land  again. 

Carl,  who  had  registered  in  the  passenger  list  by 
the  name  of  Muller,  leaned  listlessly  on  the  guard-rail 
and  watched  the  scenes  described.  The  first  thing  that 
aroused  him  to  special  interest  was  a  general  murmur 
that  a  party  of  unusual  importance  had  come  on  board. 
This  consisted  .  of  the  wife,  son  and  daughter  of  a 
millionaire  sugar  king,  to  see  whom  every  neck  around 
him  was  strained  eagerly. 

Carl's  breath  came  quicker  as  he  recognized  one  of 
the  figures  in  the  group  to  which  everybody's  attention 
was  drawn  —  a  handsome  young  woman  with  dark  fea- 
tures, dressed  in  a  most  becoming  tailor-made  cos- 
tume. The  last  time  he  had  seen  that  face  salt  water 
drenched  it,  and  around  that  slender  form  his  sttrong 
arm  had  been  thrown.  He  trembled  at  the  recollection 
of  that  head  on  his  shoulder,  of  that  heart  beating 
against  his  protecting  hand.  He  started  sharply  as 
the  girl's  quick  gaze  searched  the  group  in  w<hicih  he 
stood,  wondering  what  he  should  do  if  she  identified 
him.  And  when  he  passed  unnoticed  among  the  others 
he  turned  away  much  relieved. 

A  young  man  at  his  elbow,  in  the  confidential  man- 
ner common  among  voyagers,  spoke  to  him. 

"Do  you  see  that  stout  lady,  in  black  and  white  silk? 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  65 

That's  Mrs.  Van  Steuben,  wife  of  the  Hawaiian  sugar 
king.  That's  her  son  in  the  checked  suit,  with  the 
light  hat,  and  the  pretty  girl  just  in  front  of  them  is 
her  daughter.  Except  old  man  Spreckles  I  suppose 
Van  Steuben  has  made  more  money  out  of  sugar  than 
any  of  the  Honolulu  crowd.  She'll  be  a  catch  in  the 
matrimonial  way,  that  girl,  and  they  say  she's  bright 
as  she's  pretty." 

Meyer  had  heard  of  Van  Steuben — as  who  has  not? 
— had  indeed  had  him  pointed  out  in  Honolulu  a  year 
or  two  before.  He  knew  of  the  man's  undoubted 
wealth  and  of  his  homely  ways  which  money  had 
never  spoiled.  He  had  heard  of  Mrs.  Van,  too — of 
her  ambition  to  shine  in  "society,"  of  her  diamonds 
and  Paris  costumes,  of  her  turn-outs,  the  best  that 
the  "Paradise  of  the  Pacific"  could  boast.  The  Van 
Steubens  were  part  and  parcel  of  the  stock  gossip  of 
their  city,  where  gossip  thrives  as  nowhere  else,  hard- 
ly exceeded  in  interest  by  the  family  of  the  Oriental 
who  left  thirteen  daughters  of  very  much  mixed  blood, 
giving  a  fortune  to  each,  when  he  returned  to  the 
almond-eyed  wife  of  his  youth  in  China.  It  came 
slowly  back  to  Carl  that  he  had  heard  Miss  Amy's 
beauty  praised  by  an  enthusiastic  admirer,  she  being 
at  the  time  absent  in  the  States. 

Quite  a  number  of  friends  had  come  to  the  wharf 
to  bid  this  party  good-bye,  and  as  the  Australia  moved 
slowly  from  her  moorings,  on  the  upper  deck,  all 
waved  adieu  to  their  acquaintances  on  shore.  Miss 
Amy  carried  several  immense  bouquets,  which  she 
kissed  from  time  to  time  and  extended  toward  her 


66  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

young  lady  chum's,  alternating  the  exercises  by  apply- 
ing a  lace  handkerchief  to  her  eyes  in  mock  similitude 
of  weeping.  Her  mother  stood  by  her  side,  coaching 
her  in  tones  apparently  intended  to  escape  the  ears  of 
others,  but  quite  clearly  heard  by  all  about  her. 

"That's  quite  enough,"  she  said,  when  the  boat  had 
moved  its  length  away  from  the  wharf ;  "you  must  not 
be  too  demonstrative,  dear.  Remember  we  are  the  ob- 
served of  all  observers.  There,  wave  them  a  last 
good-bye,  for  we  must  go  down  to  our  cabin  and  dress 
for  tiffin." 

"Where  is  Billy?"  asked  a  most  melodious  voice,  or 
at  least  one  that  sounded  melodious  to  a  certain  pair 
of  ears. 

"I  <lon't  know,  I'm  sure.  He's  old  enough  to  take 
care  of  himself." 

"He  may  be  old  enough,  but " 

As  they  turned,  the  eyes  of  Miss  Van  Steuben 
looked  straight  into  those  of  Carl  Meyer,  who  was 
standing  a  few  feet  from  her.  He  was  much  pleased 
to  note  that  not  the  faintest  sign  of  recognition  il- 
lumined their  depths. 

It  was  evident  that,  so  far  as  she  knew,  she  now  saw 
the  blond-haired  young  man  for  the  first  time.  The 
test  was  a  good  one.  Carl  felt  that  he  need  have  no 
further  fears  as  far  as  she  was  concerned.  The  next 
test  would  be  that  of  the  brother,  though  so  far  as 
he  could  judge  "Billy"  had  not  observed  him  at  all 
during  the  adventure  of  the  Bay.  He  was  thrown 
into  the  water  at  precisely  the  same  moment  as  his 
sister,  and  had  seemed  quite  sufficiently  engaged  with- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  6^ 

out  studying  the  individual  countenances  about  him. 
Neither  of  the  other  persons  in  the  sailing  party  were 
among  the  passengers,  though  Carl  thought  he  dis- 
cerned the  features  of  Miss  Stevens  among  those  on 
shore. 

As  he  walked  slowly  from  the  place  where  he  had 
been  standing,  a  clerical  appearing  gentleman  called 
his  attention  to  the  pair  who  were  just  disappearing 
through  a  doorway. 

"You  know  who  they  are,  I  suppose?"  he  said. 
"Mrs.  Van  Steuben  of  Honolulu  and  her  daughter." 
Carl  was  a  little  proud  that  he  could  impart  informa- 
tion on  so  interesting  a  subject,  or  at  least  show  he 
was  not  ignorant  at  what  seemed  to  have  excited  gen- 
eral remark. 

"Yes,"  assented  the  gentleman.  "The  daughter  has 
been  in  California  for  several  years  acquiring  her  edu- 
cation. She  has  a  brother  on  board  also." 
"William,"  replied  Meyer,  nonchalantly. 
Apparently  crushed  by  finding  that  the  young  man 
knew  as  much  on  the  subject  as  he  did  himself  the 
clerical  gentleman  moved  on.  But  the  presence  of  the 
Van  Steubens  seemed  to  set  everybody  to  talking.  The 
most  absolute  strangers  found  the  matter  sufficient  to 
justify  remarks  to  each  other.  Before  the  tiffin  bell 
rang  half  the  passengers  had  exchanged  information 
about  it,  incidentally  giving  their  names  or  exchang- 
ing cards,  with  the  breezy  freedom  that  exists  among 
Americans  on  an  ocean  liner. 

"My  name  is  Billings,  I  am  from  Omaha,  in  the 
grocery  business;  who  are  you?"  was  the  usual  for- 


68  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

mula  with  variations.  One  remarked  to  anotlher,  "See 
that  fellow  in  the  brown  derby?  They  say  that's  Gen- 
eral Smithkin's  son — father  in  the  regular  army,  you 
know — going  out  to  the  islands  to  buy  coffee  lands." 
Or,  "I  heard  that  man  by  the  door  say  he's  lived  for 
twenty  years  at  Hankow;  do  you  know  his  name?" 
There  was  a  wild  anxiety  for  the  dullest  information 
as  to  their  fellow  passengers  pervading  most  of  the 
people  in  the  smoking  room,  whidh  made  Carl  feel 
behindhand  in  the  race. 

The  steward,  aided  and  abetted  to  some  extent  by 
the  purser,  had  arranged  the  seats  in  the  dining  sa- 
loon, and  when  each  voyager  descended  he  found  a 
little  card  bearing  his  name  on  the  plate  assigned  him. 
Some  of  these  glaces  were  assigned  by  request,  so 
that  friends  might  be  seated  near  together.  Many  of 
those  least  used  to  travel  had  asked  specially  to  be 
placed  at  the  captain's  table,  under  the  impression  that 
it  would  give  them  an  air  of  importance  in  the  eyes  of 
their  less  fortunate  fellows.  Wiser  ones  had  put  in 
a  claim  for  the  purser's,  but  in  both  cases  some  were 
necessarily  doomed  to  disappointment.  Having  no 
particular  choice,  among  a  party  of  people  with  whom 
he  had  no  previous  acquaintance,  Carl  waited  to  take 
any  seat  that  might  be  given  him.  He  was  rather  sur- 
prised, therefore,  when  the  secorld  .steward  scanned  the 
list  in  his  hand  for  the  fiftieth  time,  to  hear  him  say, 
"Mr.  Muller,  at  the  left  hand  of  the  purser." 

The  table  was  not  a  large  one  and  the  majority  of 
those  seated  there  were  ladies.  On  the  purser's  right 
was  a  Mrs.  Marlowe,  going  out  to  meet  her  husband 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  69 

in  Foochow.  Next  to  her  was  a  married  couple,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Latham,  who  turned  out  to  be  weal/thy  peo- 
ple, traveling  for  pleasure.  Next  to  Carl  was  the  Rev. 
Eli  Love  joy,  the  clerical  gentleman  to  whom  he  had 
already  spoken  on  deck.  A  Mrs.  Colonel  Bentley,  with 
two  grown  daughters,  completed  the  list. 

The  soup  was  hardly  served  before  Mrs.  Bently  be- 
gan to  whisper  question  to  the  purser  in  relation  to 
the  Van  Steubens,  whose  backs  were  toward 
the  party,  as  they  sat  in  a  row  at  the  Captain's  table. 
The  great  subject  was  too  important  to  drop  even  in 
the  midst  of  a  meal. 

"You've  heard  about  that  terrible  accident,  of 
course?  Wasn't  it  a  narrow  escape!  I  was  talking 
with  Mrs.  Dexter — she's  a  great  friend  of  the  Van 
Steubens',  and  she  said  it  was  simply  awful.  Amy's 
got  over  it  well,  hasn't  she?  You  can't  see  any  trace  of 
it.  Those  Honolulu  girls  are  so  strong.  They  say  she 
didn't  mind  the  wetting  at  all,  and  never  once  lost  her 
presence  of  mind." 

Before  the  purser  could  open  his  mouth  to  reply 
Mrs.  Latham  broke  in:  "There  never  was  any  real 
danger.  Miss  Van  Steuben  learned  to  swim  when  she 
was  a  child  and  with  the  little  Kanakas  has  ridden  a 
surfboard  in  the  breakers  at  Waikiki  many  a  time."  { 

"But  she  had  no  surfboard  here,"  said  Mrs.  Bentley, 
determined  to  maintain  her  thesis.  "And  it's  not  so 
easy  swimming  with  a  woman's  clothing  around  you; 
is  it,  Mr.  Lovejoy?"  She  appealed  to  the  clergyman, 
to  Whom  she  had  been  introduced  but  five  minutes  be- 
fore, having  a  general  idea  that  whatever  side  a 
ister  took  would  be  henceforth  unassailable. 


7<3  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"I — I  really — 'have  had  no  personal  experience,"  was 
the  stammering  reply,  "but — I  should  suppose — not." 

"It  is  generally  understood,"  said  the  purser,  spring- 
ing into  the  breach  through  the  first  opening,  "that 
women  float  longer  than  men.  I've  heard  that  where 
a  husband  and  wife  were  lost  together  'at  sea,  the  jury 
disposed  of  the  estate  on  the  theory  that  the  wife  prob- 
ably lived  some  seconds  the  longer,  and  therefore  in- 
herited her  legal  share  of  her  husband's  property, 
which  thus  went  to  her  heirs." 

The  two  daughters  of  Mrs.  Bentley  exclaimed, 
"How  dreadful!"  but  exactly  what  they  meant  by  it 
has  never  transpired. 

"At  any  rate,"  said  their  mother,  "a  man  in  a  boat 
sprang  after  Miss  Amy  and  held  her  up  till  she  was 
pulled  aboard  the  tug.  I  got  that  straight  and  it  was 
in  the  newspaper  too.  And  then,  not  even  waiting  to 
be  thanked,  he  rowed  away.  In  these  times  it  does  one 
good  to  hear  of  an  honorable  and  brave  action  without 
hope  of  pecuniary  reward." 

She  turned  toward  Mrs.  Latham,  as  much  as  to  say, 
"will  you  dispute  that,  now?  I'd  like  to  see  you  do 
it!" 

The  challenged  lady  would  undoubtedly  have  en- 
tered the  lists  again  if  Mrs.  Marlowe  had  not  uttered 
the  very  thought  that  was  in  her  mind. 

"Probably  the  man  didn't  know  her  father  was  a 
millionaire,"  she  said,  with  a  little  laugh. 

"No,  indeed!"  agreed  Mrs.  Latham.  And  both  of 
Mrs.  Bentley's  daughters  cried  in  one  breath,  "Oh,  isn't 
that  funny!" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  ?I 

Carl  felt  the  flush  mounting  to  his  cheeks.  His 
color  did  not  lessen  as  the  purser  turned  to  him  and 
said,  "Everybody  has  given  his  opinion  but  you,  Mr. 
Muller;  \vhat  do  you  think  about  it?" 

Knives  that  had  begun  work  were  laid  dowm.  Porks 
half  poised  in  the  air  waited  in  expectation.  The  hos- 
tile camps  of  the  Bentleys  and  the  Lathamses  lay  on 
their  arms  anxiously. 

"I — I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  was  all  Carl  could 
manage  to  answer. 

The  opinion  of  the  table  was  unanimous  as  far  as  he 
was  concerned.  He  was  not  going  to  be  much  of  an 
addition  to  their  set.  Both  of  the  champions  felt  that 
he  had  better  have  gone  over  to  her  opponent  than  as- 
sumeid  that  lame  and  impotent  position. 

The  talk  about  the  Van  Steubens  came  to  a  sudden 
end.  All  at  once  it  was  discovered  that  the  steamer 
was  rolling  a  little.  The  probability  of  rough  weather 
during  the  next  twenty-four  hours  was  discussed  with 
vigor.  Mr.  Latham,  who  had  made  this  voyage  sev- 
eral times  before,  talked  wisely  of  his  previous  trips. 
Mrs.  Marlowe,  having  been  twice  across  the  Pacific, 
added  her  mite  to  the  stock  of  information.  Mr.  Love- 
joy  hazarded  a  few  useless  guesses  and  all  talked  of 
seasickness  and  its  disagreeable  qualities.  The  two 
Miss  Bentley  exclaimed,  "  Oh  my !"  not  less  than 
twenty  times.  The  only  ones  who  said  nothing  were 
the  purser  and  Mr.  Meyer;  the  former  because  he 
wanted  to  make  the  women  happy  and  knew  they  could 
not  be  so  if  their  tongues  were  idle;  and  Carl,  because 
he  was  still  worried  by  the  talk  about  Miss  Van 
Steuben  and  the  accident  in  which  he  had  figured. 


?2  X  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

A  sudden  thrill  passed  through  the  dining  saloon. 
Miss  Van  Steulben  had  risen  and  was  making  her  way 
toward  the  stairs. 

"She's  giving  up  already,"  said  Mrs.  Bentley,  in  a 
surprised  tone.  "Who  would  have  thought  a  Honolulu 
girl  would  get  sick  is  this  little  swell  ?" 

"Do  you  want  me  to  go  with  you?"  inquired  the 
voice  of  Mrs.  Van. 

"Oh,  no,  mother." 

Something  possessed  Carl  with  the  idea  that  he 
ought  to  go  on  deck.  Who  could  tell  but  a  lurch  of 
the  vessel  might  throw  that  young  form  violently 
against  a  railing,  perhaps  into  the  sea  itself.  Her  bro- 
ther sat  at  the  table,  dividing  his  attention  between  a 
plate  of  nuts  and  a  bottle  of  something  liquid.  Mrs. 
Van  resumed  the  conversation  she  had  broken  off  for 
the  moment. 

"  I  have  finished,"  Carl  remarked  to  the  purser  and 
nobody  seemed  to  mind  it  when  he  took  his  departure. 
Instead  they  took  the  opportunity  to  agree  on  one 
thing — the  only  one  on  which  they  could  probably  have 
been  unanimous — that  he  was  very  dull. 

"I  gave  him  this  seat  because  he  was  alone  and  there 
was  just  one  remaining,"  explained  the  purser,  in  a 
half-apology. 


£  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  £3 


CHAPTER  VII. 
^THAT'S  THE  WHOLE  STORY,  GIRLS." 

MOST  men  who  are  traveling  by  sea  without  ladies 
in  their  party,  as  well  as  many  who  have  that  pleasant 
addition  to  their  baggage,  find  the  smoking  room  a 
convenient  place  in  which  to  spend  a  portion  of  their 
time.  Tobacco  is  consumed  there  at  dou'ble  t!he  rate 
it  would  be  on  shore  and  the  boy  who  takes  orders 
for  liquid  refreshment  finds  his  position  no  sinecure. 
A  game  or  two  of  cards  is  generally  in  progress.  The 
story-teller  is  in  great  demand.  Travelers  learn  that 
they  have  been  to  the  same  places  in  distant  lands  and 
compare  notes,  to  the  great  edification  of  listeners. 
Others  discover  somebody  who  is  acquainted  with  a 
place  to  which  they  intend  to  go  and  pump  him  dry 
for  information. 

The  decks  afford  a  better  view  of  the  pathless  waters 
and  more  salubrious  air,  but  people  who  stay  there  are 
longer  in  getting  acquainted.  It  is  in  the  smoking 
room  that  they  unbend  to  eadi  other,  lolling  comfort- 
ably on  the  dhairs  or  sofas. 

Although  Carl  Muller  was  the  quietest  passenger 
on  board  the  Australia  he  managed  without  effort  to 
pick  up  a  good  deal  of  information  concerning  tihe 
Others.  By  the  third  day  he  knew  most  of  the  male 
Voyagers  by  name  and  was  also  aware  which  of  them 


$4  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

were  accompanied  by  ladies  or  children.  There  were 
about  a  dozen  detached  females  of  various  degrees, 
witih  whose  cognomens  he  was  longer  in  getting  fam- 
iliar, but  even  these  were  revealed,  one  by  one.  There 
were  two  or  three  maiden  ladies,  a  widow  traveling 
alone,  several  women  going  out  to  meet  husbands  who 
had  preceded  them,  and  one  who  admitted  that  her 
journey  was  undertaken  with  a  bridal  ceremony  at  the 
other  end  of  the  road  as  its  object.  Two  women  were 
missionaries  on  their  way  to  India. 

On  Sunday  morning  religious  services  were  held  in 
the  dining  saloon.  Carl  was  pursuaded  to  play  the 
cottage  organ  for  the  singing,  it  appearing  that  he  was 
the  only  passenger  able  to  manipulate  the  instrument. 
Rev.  Mr.  Love  joy  proved  to  be  the  only  clergyman  on 
board  and  was  impressed  by  the  Captain  into  reading 
the  lesson. 

It  seemed  as  if  the  simple  act  which  Carl  had  per- 
formed for  Miss  Van  Steuben  would  never  cease  to  be 
a  topic  of  conversation.  When  everything  else  failed 
this  always  served  to  interest  a  group.  Not  only  was 
it  referred  to  in  the  smoking  room  and  at  the  table, 
but  it  interested  many  parties  gathered  on  the  deck. 
Once,  when  Carl  was  buried  in  a  book,  out  of  sight 
of  the  Van  Steubens  around  the  corner,  he  heard  the 
members  of  that  family  urged  to  relate  tihe  particulars 
of  the  incident. 

"Do  td'l  us  how  it  was !"  said  a  young  miss,  one  of 
the  Bentley  gushers.  "I've  heard  so  many  stories." 

"Why,  there  wasn't  much  to  it,"  responded  Miss 
?Amy.  "A  tug-boat  ran  us  down  and  we  were  thrown 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  75 

overboard.    When  I  came  to  the  surface  I  felt  a  strong 
arm  around  my  waist " 

"Don't  dwell  on  the  point !"  interposed  the  distressed,, 
voice  of  her  mother.  "It  is  quite  dreadful.  I  don't  see 
why  Billy  or  Mr.  Loring  couldn't  have  seen  to  you  and 
let  that  boatman  attend  to  Miss  Stevens." 

"Billy  was  rather  busy  attending  to  himself,"  laugh- 
ed her  daughter.  "I  think  he  was  more  scared  than 
any  of  the  others.  Mr.  Loring  naturally  attended  to 
the  lady  nearest  him,  and  can  be  excused  because  she 
threw  her  arms  around  his  neck  the  minute  she  came 
to  the  surface." 

"Amy !    I  must  protest !" 

"Well,  I  can't  see  what  difference  it  made,"  replied 
the  girl.  "My  life  was  saved  and  even  if  my  rescuer 
had  been  a  negro  I  should  have  been  grateful.  When, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  (for  which  information  I  am  in- 
debted to  the  captain  of  the  tug)  he  was  white  and 
young  and  rather  handsome " 

"Amy!  Please!"  cried  the  mother  again,  shutting 
her  eyes. 

Both  the  Miss  Bentleys  drew  long  breaths,  as  if  tjheir 
thoughts  were  too  deep  for  utterance.  Miss  Van 
Steuben  laughed  merrily. 

"That's  the  whole  story,  girls.  Except  that  I  made 
Billy  put  a  notice  in  the  papers  that  the  lady  wfao  was 
nearly  drowned  in  the  Bay  would  be  glad  to  recom- 
pense her  rescuer  handsomely — and  nobody  ever  an- 
swered it." 

•Mrs.  Van  Steuben  looked  relieved,  now  that  her 
"barque  had  got  into  safer  waters  at  last. 


76  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"I  am  very  sorry  he  did  not  respond  tb  the  offer," 

she  remarked,  loftily.  "I  should  feel  much  better  to 
have  paid  him  for  the  service." 

"Did  you  affix  your  name  to  the  advertisement?" 
asked  Mrs.  Latham. 

"Gracious,  no!  You  can't  tell  what  the  man  might 
have  done.  Mr.  Van  Steuben  is  known  by  reputation, 
I  may  say  everywhere!  I  should  have  feared  black- 
mail or  something  equally  dreadful." 

"But  the  accident  was  related  in  all  the  papers, 
mamma,"  protested  Amy.  "The  man  probably  knew 
the  next  day  who  we  were.  I  don't  see  Why  you  need 
be  unfair  to  him.  Possibly  he  was  not  a  commtin  fel- 
low, but  a  gentleman  out  for  amusement." 

"Quite  unlikely,  my  love.  In  that  case  he  would  cer- 
tainly have  handed  you  his  card." 

"His  card  case  must  have  been  soaked  with  the  rest 
of  him;  I  don't  think  people,  as  a  rule,  present  their 
cards  under  such  conditions." 

"It  is  a  very  painful  subject,"  replied  the  mother, 
shaking  her  head.  "I  hope  we  shall  hear  no  more  about 
it.  People  in  our  position  are  obliged  tio  be  so  care- 
ful." 

The  elder  Miss  Bentley  inquired  if  it  were  true  that 
Miss  Van  Steuben  was  a  good  swimmer  and  oould 
have  saved  herself  unaided. 

"Oh,  I  don't  think  I  should  have  drowned,"  was 
Amy's  coy  response.  "But  when  a  girl  finds  a  strong 
manly  arm  around  her — mamma,  let  me  finish — it  is 
much  easier,  as  well  as  more  graceful  to  rely  on  it 
than  to  splash  and  paddle ;  and  besides  the  white  caps 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  J>7 

and  that  nasty  tug1  complicated  thing's.  I  rather  wish' 
the  young  man  had  made  his  appearance  in  answer  to 
the  advertisement;  though.  If  he  wanted  caslh  I  Would 
have  been  glad  to  accommodate  him ;  and  if  not,  a  few 
words  of  gratitude  would  have  been  easy  to  say." 

Long  before  the  conversation  reached  this  point  Carl 
had  found  it  unbearable  and  had  moved  his  dhadr  to  a 
point  out  of  hearing.  His  book  had  suddenly  grown 
dull  to  him  and  he  sought  the  smoking  room,  where 
among  the  other  occupants  he  found  Brother  Billy. 
The  boy,  as  everybody  considered  him,  though  he  was 
quite  twenty  years  of  age,  was  an  object  of  interest  to 
everybody  on  'his  father's  account.  He  was  full  of 
life  and  spirits,  dressed  with  much  style,  good-looking 
and  agreeable.  There  was  a  strong  family  resemblance 
between  him  and  his  sister.  When  any  of  the  passen- 
gers tried  to  draw  him  out  about  his  father's  affairs 
he  sheered  to  one  side  like  a  colt  with.  "Oh,  I  don't 
know  anything  about  that!"  in  a  way  that  biockdd  the 
path  entirely.  Even  when  the  fertility  of  Hawaiian 
lands  or  the  system  of  contract  labor  was  on  the  tapis, 
he  declined  to  interest  himself.  "Haven't  the  least 
ide-a,"  he  would  answer,  with  jusrt  the  suspicion  of  a 
drawl. 

"I  tell  you  it's  the  same  thing  as  slavery!"  said  a 
passenger  named  Hicks,  hailing  from  KalamazoOo 
"Those  Japs  and  Chinamen  are  brought  out  under 
what  is  called  a  three  years'  contract,  and  during  that 
time  they  are  driven  into  the  field  witfh  black-'snake 
whips,  sick  or  well,  and  treated  like  dog's  Although 
legally  they  can  be  made  to  work  but  ten  hours  a  day, 


JT8  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS, 

the  clocks  are  kept  to  please  their  masters,  and  the* 
often  put  in  more  than  twelve,,  As  soon  as  the  country 
is  fully  annexed  to  the  United  States  there'll  be  an  end 
to  this  business/9 

"I  should  have  thoughl  the  people  would  have  fore- 
seen that  and  fought  annexation,"  suggested  a  young 
man  from  Connecticut. 

"If  we  hadn't  taken  them  pretty  soon,  the  Japanese 
Government  would,"  said  Hicks  "They  would  have 
attacked  the  place  to  secure  justice  for  the  Japs  abused 
there  and  held  on,  just  as  England  anJ  Germany  have 
done  in  similar  cases  " 

"The  Japanese — pooh!"  interrupted  a  gentleman 
from  New  York  City  "What  do  they  amount  to?" 

"Amount  to?"  repeated  Hicks,  indignantly.  "Do 
you  ask  what  a  nation  of  forty  'million  people  amounts 
to*  with  one  of  the  biggest  navies  in  the  world  ?  They'd 
have  taken  the  island  so  quick  it  would  make  your 
head  swim,  if  Uncle  Sam  hadn't  forestalled  them.  The 
Hawaiian  Government  didn't  own  a  ship,  a  fort  or  a 
full  regiment  of  soldiers." 

The  New  Yorker  disdained  to  reply,  It  is  often  as 
effective  to  assume  that  air,  in  the  eyes  of  those  who 
listen,  as  to  bring  forwafd  the  most  conclusive  argu- 
ments, The  passengers  were  led  to  believe  that  the 
New  Yorker  could  have  annihilated  Mr,  Hicks  if  he 
had  been  willing  to  enter  into  a  wrangle  with  that  hot- 
headed person. 

Rev.  Mr.  Love  joy  did  not  disdain  to  spend  a  part  of 
his  time  in  the  smoking  room  or  to  indulge  in  an  occa- 
sional cigar  there.  He  smoked  solemnly  and  slowly, 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS  79 

as  befitted  his  cloth,  and  his  presence  certainly  had  a 
restraining  influence  on  the  things  said  around  him. 

"If  you  will  permit  me  a  word,"  he  ventured,  tc  Mr. 
Hicks,  "I  think  you  do  an  unintentional  injustice  to 
the  sugar-planters.  I  have  spent  some  time  there  and 
have  found  no  such  condition  as  you  describe/' 

"In  what  respect?"  demanded  Hicks,  fiercely. 

"About  the  men  being  driven  to  work  with  whips, 
for  one  thing,"  was  the  mild  reply.  "I  do  not  say  it 
is  never  done,  but  I  saw  no  evidence  of  it.  And  as  to 
the  hours  the  laborers  work,  most  of  them  carry  nickel 
watches  and  are  very  quick  to  notice  when  their  day  has 
expired." 

To  this  Mr.  Hicks  responded  warmly  thait  he  had 
his  information  from  good  sources  and  believed  it  to 
be  true, 

"I  think  if  you  will  look  thoroughly  into  the  matter," 
said  Mr.  Love  joy,  gently,  "you  will  find  that  these  be- 
nighted heathen  are  brought  to  a  Christian  land  by 
gentlemen  of  character,  who  defray  their  passage  out 
of  their  own  pockets;  that  they  receive  several  times 
as  much  pay  as  they  would  earn  at  home  at  the  same 
work  i  that  nothing  is  required  of  them  except  to  keep 
an  agreement  which  they  fully  understood  before  leav« 
ing  fliei'r  own  country ;  and  that  most  of  them  manage, 
during  the  time  they  remain,  to  lay  up  a  goodly  amount 
of  money  with  which  many  go  into  business  and  amass 
small  fortunes." 

The  conversation  was  interesting  all  who  sat  about 
the  room  and  every  eye  was  turned  toward  Mr.  Hicks 
when  tois  turn  came  to  speak. 


80  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"What  is  done  with  a  laborer  who  refuses  to  woric?" 
he  demanded,  "Tell  me  that  I" 

"He  is  taken  before  a  judge  and  given  his  choice  of 
carrying  out  the  agreement  he  made  when  his  fare  was 
paid  from  Japan  or  of  going  to  jail." 

"Exactly.  Ex-actly  I"  said,  Mr,  Hicks.  "Now  if  that 
don't  make  a  slave  of  him  I'd  like  to  know  wliat  would. 
It  is  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the  United  States  to  en- 
force labor  by  contract  and  'the  moment  we  get  full 
possession  of  the  country  every  workingmari  will  be 
free  to  quit  his  employment,  if  he  pleases." 

Mr,  Lovejoy  asked  quietly  if  Mr.  Hicks  thought  ifc 
would  be  honest  for  a  man  who  had  accepted  money 
to  cross  the  Pacific  to  refuse  to  carry  out  his  agree° 
ment — and  for  a  Christian  nation  to  abet  him  in  the 
act, 

"Christian  nation!"  repeated  Hicks,  with  scorn. 
"Who  says  America  is  a  Christian  nation?  What  is 
a  Christian  nation;  anyway?  One  that  helps  a  lot  of 
money-grabbers  to  swindle  coolies  out  of  the  value  oi 
their  labor  ?  The  missionaries  came  to  Hawaii  and  stole 
the  land  from  the  Kanakas;  and  now  tiheir  sons  are 
making  themselves  millionaires  by  bringing  poor  Japs 
and  Chinese  over  to  work  for  half  the  wages  a  white 
man  would,  require.  I've  no  patience  to  talk  with  you !" 

The  indignant  speaker  flounced  out  of  the  room  with 
his  concluding  words,  as  if  he  required  the  entire 
width  of  the  deck  to  contain  himself,  The  clergyman 
puffed  his  cigar  peacefully  in  silence,  not  appearing  in 
the  least  disturbed.  Mr.  Latham,  who  had  remained 
silent  till  now,  leaned  over  to  ask  if  the  reverend  chain* 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  8l 

pion  of  the  sugar-growers  had  any  knowledge  of  the 
various  plantations  and  of  the  best  place  to  invest 
capital. 

"I  couldn't  say,  really,"  was  the  answer  he  received, 
"what  is  the  best  purchase  just  now.  But  I  think  the 
'Never'  is  paying  about  five  per  cent." 

"  Only  five  per  cent!"  Mr.  Latham's  jaw  dropped. 

"That's  sixty  per  cent,  a  year.  They  reckon  these 
plantation  stocks  by  their  monthly  dividends.  You  will 
have  to  pay  about  four  hundred  dollars  or  so  a  share, 
which  will  reduce  your  net  returns  to  fifteen  per  cent, 
per  annum.  It's  not  quite  what  they  ought  to  pay,  but 
we  shouldn't  think  of  this  matter  from  the  pecuniary 
side  altogether.  What  gratifies  me  is  the  glorious  op- 
portunity these  poor  heathen  have  to  learn  true  religion 
and  see  it  exemplified  in  the  lives  of  their  employers. 
Who  can  doubt  that  the  time  they  spend  among  such 
refining  influences  will  ultimately  have  a  great  effect  in 
destroying  the  superstitions  and  idolatries  of  Japan 
and  China  ?" 

A  young  man  named  Selover,  who  Was  secretary  of 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  in  his  town  in  Iowa,  inquired  if  much 
attention  was  given  to  instructing  the  laborers  in  reli- 
gious matters. 

"Why,"  was  the  somewhat  hesitating  reply,  "there 
are  churches  which  they  can  attend  and  some  missions. 
They  can  learn  the  true  path  if  they  wish  to." 

"I  trust  there  are  no  saloons  or  anything  of  that 
sort?" 

"There  are,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  a  very  few  in  'some 
of  the  larger  places.  High  license  prevails  in  Honolulu, 


82  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

for  instance.  It  is  a  serious  question,  where  so  many 
sailors  come  ashore,  men  from  the  warships  and  that 
sort  of  thing.  There's  not  much  drunkenness  though, 
as  a  rule,  and  the  places  have  to  close  early." 

Mr.  Lovejoy  resumed  a  book  he  had  been  reading 
and  another  passenger  essayed  to  furnish  Mr.  Latham 
with  a  little  more  information. 

"I  would  advise  subscribing  to  the  new  ventures  that 
are  being  put  on  the  market,"  he  said.  "The  average 
assessment  is  two  dollars  a  month  on  each  share.  Even 
house  servants  and  cabmen  have  become  rich  by  sub- 
scribing for  these  shares  and  selling  out  again.  You 
see  the  Hawaiians  have  several  advantages  over  other 
countries.  Not  only  is  their  soil  exceptionally  fertile, 
but  their  product  is  admitted  to  the  United  States  free 
of  duty,  thus  putting  two  cents  a  pound  into  the  pockets 
of  the  producers.  I've  heard  of  plantations  that  are 
good  for  eight  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  sugar  per 
acre  in  a  single  crop.  With  annexation  that's  pretty 
sure  to  hold.  Old  Van  Steuben"  (the  speaker  looked 
cautiously  around  to  note  that  Billy  had  left  the  room 
again)  "came  to  Honolulu  a  beggar  boy  and  now  he's 
worth — the  Lord  only  knows  how  much !  And  there's 
Millenham  and  Waterman  and  the  Snookses  and  the 
Castletons,  all  made  millionaires  witihin  the  last  five 
years." 

The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  secretary  from  Iowa  walked  out  on 
the  deck,  somewhat  troubled  in  his  mind.  A  text  of 
Scripture  kept  vibrating  in  his  brain,  "Seek  ye  first  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness."  He  hoped 
these  planters  had  done  that  before  they  realized  so 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  83 

fully  the  succeeding  words,  "and  all  these  things  shall 
be  added  unto  you." 

It  comforted  him,  however,  to  know  that  Rev.  Mr. 
Lovejoy,  the  benevolent  looking  clergyman,  had  looke'd 
into  the  matter,  and  was  quite  satisfied  with  the  treat- 
ment accorded  to  the  laborers  in  these  remarkably  pro- 
ductive vineyards. 


84  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  VHI. 
CARL  MEETS  MR.  VAN  STEUBEN. 

EACH  arrival  of  the  steamship  Australia  at  Hono- 
lulu is  celebrated  by  the  inhabitants  as  an  occasion  of 
great  rejoicing.  Her  departure  is  also  the  signal  for 
special  ceremonies,  the  like  of  which  are  observed  for 
no  other  vessel.  Though  many  liners  of  a  much  super- 
ior class  are  now  constantly  coming  and  going  from 
that  port,  the  Hawaiian's  are  faithful  to  their  old  love. 
They  greet  the  Australia  precisely  as  they  did  when 
she  was  their  only  mail  packet  and  everyone  was 
obliged  to  rely  on  her  for  passage  to  or  from  the 
United  States. 

Carl,  who  had  grown  nervously  anxious,  was  disap- 
pointed to  find  that  the  first  land  in  sight  was  not  that 
of  Oahu.  At  his  previous  visit  he  had  approached  from 
the  west  and  paid  little  attention  to  the  geography  of 
the  coast.  As  hour  after  hour  passed  before  he  could 
discern  the  familiar  face  of  Diamond  Head,  he  paced 
the  deck,  hope  and  fear  alternating  in  his  bosom 

It  was  nearly  night  when  the  strains  of  the  Goverm 
ment  Band  met  his  ear — that  excellent  organization  of 
'forty  pieces  which  is  invariably  sent  to  welcome  the 
'coming  and  speed  the  parting  Australia.  A  throng  of 
people  covered  the  wharf,  embracing  every  hue  from 
nearly  black  to  pure  white,  the  native  race  predomina'v- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  85 

ing;  for,  like  children,  the  latter  invariably  flocked  to 
see  the  landing  and  hear  the  music,  just  as  if  the  same 
event  did  not  occur  many  times  each  year  of  their 
lives. 

Half  the  crowd  were  women,  dressed  in  the  loose 
flowing  robe  which  the  natives  call  a  "h'oloku,"  and 
which  is  known  in  the  States  by  the  more  prosaic  title 
of  "Mother-Hubbard."  All  of  them  were  bareheaded, 
but  their  luxuriant  tresses  afforded  a  sufficiently  ample 
covering.  Around  many  necks  were  hung  wreaths  of 
bright  flowers,  called  leis,  while  other  bits  of  color  set 
off  their  swarthy  faces.  The  men,  who  were  inudh  less 
interesting,  lounged  about  in  a  listless  way,  -clad  in  a 
mixture  of  half-civilized,  half-barbaric  garments.  The 
few  Caucasians  looked  whiter  by  contrast  and  those 
who  happened  to  have  light  hair  appeared  the  blondest 
of  their  class.  A  few  daintily  dressed  children  showed 
conspicuously  in  the  throng  and  the  members  of  the 
Band,  in  their  uniforms  of  white,  added  to  the  pictur- 
esqueness  of  the  scene. 

Without  troubling  himself  about fais  baggage,  further 
than  to  leave  it  addressed  with  his  name  so  that  it  could 
be  sent  for,  Carl  hastened  down  the  plank  and  made 
his  way  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  the  Royal  Hawaiian 
Hotel.  As  he  entered  the  grounds,  beautifully  tropical 
•with  palms  and  brilliant  flowers,  he  took  in  with  one 
(quick  glance  everybody  on  the  veranda,  hoping  to 
discover  among  them  the  one  for  whom  he  was  search- 
ing. All  the  faces  were,  however,  unfamiliar,  and 
Springing  up  the  high  steps  he  sought  the  manager  it* 
his  office. 


86  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"Is  Mr.  Peter  Meyer  one  of  your  guests  ?"  he  asked, 
breathlessly. 

The  manager  shook  his  head.  "You  are  young  Mr. 
Meyer,  I  believe,"  he  said. 

It  was  clear  that  the  manager  remembered  him.  He 
must  also  then  remember  his  "uncle"  and  would 
know  if  he  had  seen  him. 

"But  Peter  Meyer  and  Marcus  Lindes — they  surely 
have  been  here  within  a  short  time  ?" 

"Sit  down,"  said  the  manager.  "Yes,  Peter  Meyer 
was  here  a  few  weeks  ago  and  another  gentleman  with 
him.  That  is  to  say,  I  have  no  doubt  whatever  about 
the  matter,  though  when  I  called  him  by  name  he  denied 
it  positively  and  said  he  had  never  been  in  Honolulu 
before." 

"Where  are  they  now  ?"  Carl  inquired,  distressed.  It 
was  all  he  could  do  to  contain  himself. 

"They  went  to  Maui"  (one  of  the  other  islands  in  the 
group)  "and  have  not  returned.  What  is  the  matter 
with  Mr.  Meyer  ?  His  actions  here  were  certainly  very 
peculiar." 

The  hotel  man  talked  of  the  matter  at  length.  He 
said  Meyer  had  registered  under  the  name  of  Hans 
Fischer,  while  his  companion  had  called  'himself  Jacob 
Swartz.  They  had  tried  to  avoid  publicity,  dining  in 
their  room  and  holding  little  converse  with  anyone. 
Fischer  had  been  addressed  as  "Meyer"  by  several  peo- 
ple who  recognized  him,  but  invariably  replied,  "I  do 
not  know  you,  sir,"  and  refused  to  be  drawn  into  con- 
versation. To  add  to  the  strangeness  of  the  affair,  let- 
ters addressed  to  "Hans  Fischer"  were  opened  and 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  8^ 

read  by  him  and  he  even  carried  a  letter  of  credit  in 
the  same  name. 

"He  almost  convinced  me  that  I  was  mistaken,"  said 
the  manager,  "but  although  he  created  a  doubt  among 
many  of  us,  there  was  one  man  who  had  been  very  in- 
timate with  him  on  his  previous  visit  who  never  had 
the  slightest  question  of  his  identity.  That  was  Abel 
Van  Steuben." 

Carl  caught  his  breath  and  closed  his  tired  eyes  for  a 
moment. 

"Van  Steuben  told  me  that,  as  Mr.  Meyer  'had  evi- 
dently some  reason  for  wislhing  to  remain  incognito,  I 
had  best  humor  him,  and  I  took  his  advice.  I  always 
called  him  'Fischer'  when  we  had  any  business.  But 
people  kept  coming  in  and  claiming  a  recognition,  and 
after  a  week  or  •  so  he  and  his  friend  moved  up  to 
Wright's  Villa,  at  Waikiki,  where  they  stayed  until 
they  went  off  to  Maui." 

The  young  man  asked  if  it  were  possible  his  two 
friends  had  left  the  group.  Could  passage  be  taken 
from  any  other  port  except  Honolulu  ? 

It  was  possible,  but  very  improbable.  None  of  the 
ocean  steamers  touched  anywhere  else.  Sometimes 
people  embarked  from  Hilo  (in  Hawaii)  on  sailing 
vessels. 

The  hotel  man,  having  communicated  so  muoh  in- 
formation, now  set  about  acquiring  some  for  himself. 
He  plied  Carl  with  questions,  to  which  only  evasive 
answers  were  returned. 

"  Who  was  with  him?"  asked  the  manager. 

"An  old  friend.  But  I  must  go  at  onte  to  the  Villa 
and  see  what  I  can  learn  there  about  tfoera." 


88  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Wright's  Villa  is  situated  four  miles  from  the  Royal 
Hotel,  and  the  slowest  street-car  line  in  the  world 
"runs,"  or  did  at  that  time,  up  King  Street,  and  past 
that  hostelrie.  Not  only  was  the  line  exceedingly  slow, 
but  the  cars  ran  at  doubtful  and  infrequent  intervals. 
Each  was  propelled  by  a  pair  of  diminutive  animals, 
ordinarily  a  mule  and  horse  harnessed  abreast,  though 
why  this  strange  mixture  was  preferred  to  coupling 
two  beasts  of  a  kind  together  is  a  mystery.  There  be- 
ing but  a  single  track,  turn-outs  were  numerous,  and 
tfie  waits  at  each  of  them  prolonged  enough  to  discour- 
age tihe  traveler  who  had  need  of  haste.  The  cars  were 
antiquated  specimens,  wholly  anachronistic  in  a  push- 
ing and  in  many  respects  modern  town  like  Honolulu, 
and  seldom  patronized  by  residents  above  the  grade  of 
a  native  or  white  laborer. 

>Car*l  did  not  fed,  however,  like  paying  the  two  dol- 
lars which  a  cabdriver  would  charge  when  ten  cents 
would  answer  the  purpose,  and  as  he  reached  King 
Street  he  looked  anxiously  for  the  cheaper  conveyance. 
None  being  in  sight  he  started  to  walk,  hoping  that  a 
car  would  overtake  him  eventually,  thougli  this  was  by 
no  means  sure. 

After  going  something  like  half  a  mile,  the  young 
man  came  opposite  to  a  handsome  residence,  embow- 
ered in  tropical  foliage,  at  which  some  special  event 
•was  evidently  taking  place.  Carriages  bearing  the 
marks  of  private  ownership  stood  along  the  curb  to 
the  number  of  forty  or  fifty,  the  residence  was  ablaze 
with  light,  amd  many  voices  blended  with  the  music  of 
an  orchestra.  As  he  reached  4ihe  massive  gateway  a 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  8q 

carriage  passed  in,  containing  a  gentleman  who  bowed 
to  him  affably. 

For  a  moment,  so  preoccupied  was  Carl  with  his 
thoughts,  he  did  not  recognize  the  occupant  as  Rev. 
Mr.  Love  joy,  whom  he  had  met  on  the  steamer.  In- 
stead of  entering  the  house,  the  clergyman  hastened  to 
the  sidewalk  and  extended  his  hand. 

"Aren't  you  coming  in  ?"  he  asked. 

"I  do  not  understand  you." 

"Why,  the  Van  Steubens  are  having  a  reception  on 
account  of  their  daughter's  return  from  America. 
Were  you  not  invited  ?" 

"I  do  not  know  the  family,"  was  the  rather  cold 
response.  "I  was  not  presented  to  them  during  the 
voyage." 

"What  a  pity!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Loveiov.  "Thev  are 
such  delightful  people.  I  met  Mr.  Van  Steuben  when 
I  was  here  before.  Miss  Amy  is  a  dear  girl,  whom  you 
would  find  it  a  pleasure  to  know.  Ah,"  he  continued, 
as  a  gentleman  approached  bareheaded  from  the  house, 
"here  is  Mr.  Van  Steuben  now.  You  must  let  ms 
present  you.  There  is  still  time  to  go  to  the  hotel  and 
get  into  your  evening  clothes.  Almosit  everybody  who 
came  on  i:he  Australia  will  be  here." 

Though  not  having  any  idea  of  executing  this  sum- 
mary arrangement,  Carl  reflected  that  a  presentation  to 
Mr.  Van  Steuben  was  something  he  could  not  afford 
to  refuse  just  then.  He  had  no  idea,  of  course,  of  ac- 
cepting an  invitation  to  the  party,  if  it  was  obtained  in 
this  manner.  Undoubtedly  Mr.  Lovejoy  meant  well 
in  his  simplicity.  When  he  called  out,  "Mr.  Van 


9O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Steuben,  I  want  to  introduce  a  fellow  passenger,"  tfie 
young  man  murmured  the  usual  commonplaces. 

"Come  right  in,"  said  the  sugar  planter,  in  his  unaf- 
fected way.  "I'll  show  you  where  to  put  your  things." 

"Excuse  me — it  is  quite  impossible.  I  am  going  to 
Waikiki.  But,"  added  Carl,  in  a  lower  tone,  relieved 
that  the  minister  had  been  taken  in  charge  by  a  ser- 
vant, "I  would  like  to  speak  to  you  just  a  moment  on 
another  matter." 

Mr.  Van  Steuben  bowed. 

"I  am  looking  for  Mr.  Peter  Meyer,  an  adopted  uncle 
of  mine,  whom  I  understand  you  have  seen 
recently  in  Honolulu." 

The  planter  lifted  his  eyes  and  took  a  careful  survey 
of  his  companion's  features.  "So  you  are  that  young 
man?"  he  said,  thoughtfully.  "Let  us  walk  into  the 
garden.  There  is  less  confusion  there." 

Too  anxious  to  decline,  Carl  followed  immediately. 

"What  have  you  done  to  forfeit  M>r.  Meyer's  good 
opinion?"  was  Van  Steuben's  sober  query,  when  they 
found  themselves  alone. 

"Nothing,  that  I  am  aware  of,"  said  Carl,  looking  at 
his  questioner  unflinchingly. 

"It  is  very  strange.  Pardon  my  directness.  Mr. 
Meyer  came  here  under  an  assumed  name,  with  his 
chief  object,  as  I  gather,  that  of  evading  you.  While 
here,  I  learned  from  the  attorney  who  did  the  work, 
he  executed  a  will  disinheriting  you  (who  had  pre- 
viously been  his  principal  legatee)  and  devising  his  es- 
tate to  dharity.  And  you  say  you  can  assign  no  reason 
for  these  proceedings  ?" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  91 

'''Not  only  do  I  say  that,"  was  the  impatient  answer, 
"but  I  care  nothing  about  the  matter,  in  itself.  Mr. 
Meyer  has  already  done  more  for  me  than  I  had  any 
right  to  expect;  though  he  had  formerly  executed  a 
will  in  my  favor,  he  did  it  without  consulting  me  at  all. 
It  was  not  to  talk  of  his  property  but  of  himself  tlhat  I 
accepted  Mr.  Love  joy's  offer  to  present  me  to  you.  I 
want  to  find  my  friend.  The  mystery  is  a  painful  one. 
He  left  St.  Louis  several  months  ago,  promising  to 
write  often,  and  I  have  received  but  two  letter's.  If  in 
either  of  them  he  had  intimated  .that  hie  wished  our 
friendship  to  end,  and  had  given  the  slightest  reason 
for  such  a  wish,  I  would  have  resigned  myself  to  his 
desire.  I  am  sorry  to  annoy  you  with  this  matter, 
when  you  have  duties  so  important  tonight,  but  the 
sudden  close  of  years  of  fatherly  kindness  puzzles  me 
beyond  expression.  I  only  ask  one  minute  in  Mr. 
Meyer's  presence,  one  word  from  him  that  he  means 
what  his  silence  leads  me  to  fear." 

The  gaze  that  was  fixed  on  tihe  speaker  seemed  to 
pierce  him  through  and  through.  If  there  was  one 
trait  which  Abel  Van  Steuiben  believed  he  possessed 
it  was  to  read  his  fellow  men.  He  saw  into  Carl's  mind 
as  if  with  the  Roetgen  Rays.  What  he  discovered 
there  the  reader  must  be  content  to  learn  some  chapters 
further  on. 

"There  are  no  steamers  going  to  Maui  tomorrow, 
where  I  believe  he  is  now,"  he  said,  slowly.  "If  you 
will  call  at  my  office  between  nine  and  noon  I  will  talk 
with  you.  In  the  meantime  you  had  best  spend  the 
evening  here/' 


92  X  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Carl  adcepted  the  invitation  to  call  at  the  office, 
declined  that  to  join  in  the  reception.  He  wanted  t£ 
get  to  Wright's  Villa  as  quickly  as  possible  and  see 
if  any  clue  could  be  obtained  there  to  the  mystery  that 
troubled  him, 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS^ 


THE  BURIAL  OF  A  QUEEN". 

ALTHOUGH  it  was  earlier  than  moonrise  the  night 
was  nearly  as  bright  as  day,  and  the  fascination  of  the 
tropical  air  was  at  its  height.  Carl  walked  with  long 
strides  up  the  road  he  knew  so  well,  breathing  the  per- 
fume of  flowering  shrubs  and  trees  with  which  the  way 
was  lined,  catching  occasionally  also  the  breath  of  the 
sea,  from  across  the  meadows,  When  the  lumbering 
street  car  finally  overtook  him  he  let  it  pass  unchal- 
lenged. He  was  rather  glad  of  the  chance  to  stretch 
his  legs  after  the  confinement  of  six  days  on  shipboard. 

At  Wright's  Villa  there  was  little  to  learn.  He 
asked  for  his  uncle  in  the  name  of  Fischer,  inquiring 
as  guardedly  as  possible  whether  anything  special  in 
his  manner  had  attracted  attention,  Mr.  Hayden,  the 
landlord,  met  the  question  with  a  prompt  affirmative. 

"He  didn't  seem  more  than  half  in  his  right  mind," 
he  said.  "He  was  quiet  enough,  perfectly  polite,  but 
sort  of  wandering  in  his  thoughts,  uneasy  and  queer, 
Has  he  had  a  fit  of  illness  lately  ?" 

Several  of  the  "stand-bys"  among  the  regular  board- 
ers, wlho  were  on  the  lanai  when  this  conversation  took 
place,  joined  in. 

"If  you  want  my  opinion  I  think  the  fellow's  nutty," 
said  a  dark-eyed  and  rather  slender  young  man,  in  a 


94  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

chipper  tone.  "He  wouldn't  know  enough  to  come  in 
when  it  rains,  only  for  that  chap  with  him.  I  said  so 
the  first  time  I  saw  him;  didn't  I?''  (appealing  tc  the 
others.) 

"You  certainly  did,"  said  a  second  boarder,  who 
wore  glasses  and  was  in  the  lumber  trade,  "I  heard 
down  street,  too,  that  Fisdier  wasn't  his  right  name." 

A  Mr.  Slitt,  from  Chicago,  joined  in  the  talk,  agree^ 
ing  with  the  others  that  Fischer  had  seemed  decidedly 
strange.  As  there  was  nothing  more  to  learn,,  Carl 
took  his  leave  with  thanks,  and,  happening  tc  catch  a 
car,  rode  back  to  his  hotel. 

The  next  morning,  at  the  hour  stipulated,  he  found 
Mr.  Van  Steuben  ready  to  receive  him,  The  conversa- 
tion between  them,  though  it  lasted  for  several  hours, 
need  not  be  repeated  here  at  length,  Suffice  it  to  say 
that  the  planter  drew  from  the  young  man  his  entire 
history  and  seemed  impressed  by  the  answers  to  his 
numerous  questions.  Peter's  conduct  during  the  past 
few  months,  the  planter  admitted,  could  be  reconciled 
with  no  theory  except  that  of  a  confused  brain  or  a 
determination  to  rid  himself  forever  of  his  protege. 

To  the  latter's  suggestion  Car!  gave  a  melancholy 
assent.  He  was  coming  tc  fee1  that  this  offered  the 
only  solution  of  Meyer's  strange  conduct. 

"But  he  need  not  have  put  himself  to  all  this 
trouble,"  said  he,  with  a  clouded  brow  "I  have  no 
claim  upon  him.  A  few  words — or  a  brief  note  if  he 
did  not  like  to  tell  me  directly — -would  have  been  suf- 
ficient. It  is  true  I  should  have  asked  an  explanation, 
not  as  a  right,  but  to  satisfy  myself  as  to  the  cause  ol 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESa,  95 

his  changed  attitude;  and  still  he  could  have  declined 
to  answer.  I  wish  I  knew  what  to  do.  If  he  is  acting 
under  a  mental  delusion  it  is  my  duty  as  well  as 
pleasure  to  give  him  any  assistance  in  my  power." 

"As  he  certainly  executed  a  new  will  while  here, 
w!hich  disinherits  you,  is  it  not  wiser  to  face  the  in- 
evitable and  look  about  for  some  means  of  earning  your 
livelihood?  From  your  own  statements  you  cannot 
much  longer  put  off  that  necessity," 

"I  think  I  will  try  a  little  longer  to  settle  the  main 
question.  Mr.  Meyer  is  somewhere  in  this  group 
of  islands.  It  cannot  be  long  now  before  I  shall  either 
find  him  or  convince  myself  that  he  does  not  wish  to 
see  me," 

"Very  well,"  was  the  reply.  "As  a  friend  of  Mr. 
Meyer's,  you  may  apply  to  me  for  any  financial  aid 
you  find  necessary,  the  amount  to  be  repaid  when 
convenient." 

Showing  the  dejection  he  could  not  shake  off,  Carl 
thanked  the  merchant  in  his  usual  quiet  way  and  took 
ihis  leave  respectfully. 

The  first  steamer  which  arrived  from  a  tour  of  the 
islands  brought  some  information  about  the  wanderers. 
The  travelers,  identified  by  the  names  of  Fischer  and 
Swartz,  had  recently  left  Maui  for  Hilo,  with  the  ex- 
pressed intention  of  visiting  the  volcanic  district.  Carl 
at  once  booked  for  Hilo,  feeling  that  he  was  at  last  on 
the  right  track. 

The  next  morning  an  event  occurred  whioh  served 
to  distract  his  attention,  and  whidh  may  be  said  to  have 
put  the  entire  population  in  mourning.  The  Queen 


90  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Dowager,  Kapiolani,  the  much-esteemed  widow  of 
Kalakaua,  who  had  lived  in  retirement  since  the  death 
of  her  husband,  breathed  her  last,  To  the  native  Ha- 
waiians  it  was  as  if  the  death  of  a  dearly  beloved  rela- 
tion had  occurred.  More  than  this,  it  was  another  re- 
minder to  this  rapidly  vanishing  people  that  the  last 
of  their  old  rulers  were  going  with  themselves  "the  way 
of  all  the  earth  '" 

The  monarchies  of  these  islands  seem  to  many  jour- 
nalists a  theme  for  jesting,  but  they  certainty  fitted  wel1 
with  their  surroundings,  The>  gave  color  and  beauty 
to  life  in  the  most  picturesque  of  countries  With  very 
limited  means  at  their  disposal  the  entire  line,  from 
Kamehameha  I.  to  Lilioukalani,  have  shown  a  liberal- 
ity toward  objects  of  public  welfare  which  nc  royal 
house  of  Europe  has  ever  approached,  proportionately. 
That  this  tendency  has  affected  even  the  white  con- 
sorts of  their  princesses  the  magnificent  endowment,  of 
the  public  schools  by  Mr.  Bishop  well  attests.  No  queen 
among  the  great  dynasties  abroad  has  a  memorial  tc 
her  generosity  comparable  to  Queen  Emma's  Hospital, 
standing  in  the  most  beautiful  grounds  in  all  Honolulu. 
Kapiolani  Park,  the  broad  recreation  ground  open  to 
all,  to  which  the  municipal  band  attracts  thousands  on 
Sundays  and  holidays,  was  the  free  gift  of  t!he  dark- 
skinned  lady  for  whom  it  was  named. 

The  generosity  of  these  sovereigns  to  old  retainers 
and  dependents  was  unstinted  as  wel!  as  unassuming. 
There  are  many  people  of  pure  Caucasian  lineage  in 
Honolulu  who  openly  express  regret  at  the  passing  ol 
the  old  order,  and  find  their  eyes  filled  with  tears  when- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  9£ 

ever  the  band  sends  out  upon  the  balmy  air  the  tender 
strains  of  "Hawaii  Ponoi." 

Every  man  and  woman  whom  Carl  met  that  morn- 
ing, as  he  strolled  slowly  toward  the  dead  queen's  late 
home,  showed  traces  of  weeping.  The  women  wore 
without  exception  black  holokus.  Throngs  of  them 
were  marching  bareheaded  and  barefooted  towards 
Waikiki,  sure  that  no  senitry  would  bar  their  way  to 
the  side  of  the  queen  they  had  adored. 

As  soon  as  the  body  could  be  placed  on  its  bed  of 
State  all  visitors  were  freely  admitted,  and  from  that 
time  until  the  end  of  the  funeral  ceremonies,  some  days 
later,  the  grounds  around  the  residence  were  filled  with 
hundreds  of  people,  day  and  night.  Liberal  provision 
for  supplying  food  freely  to  all  comers  was  made  by 
the  two  princes,  Kapiolani's  adopted  sons,  and  the  soft 
herbage  and  warm  air  made  no  other  shelter  necessary 
than  the  star-studded  vault  of  heaven.  The  moon  hap- 
pened to  be  full  and  the  scene  when  the  numerous 
groups  were  seated  on  the  ground  around  old  men  and 
.women,  who  chanted  the  "sagas"  of  the  race,  was  one 
never  to  be  forgotten.  The  writer  of  these  lines  was 
there  also  and  found  few  things  more  interesting  in  the 
travels  which  took  him  around  the  globe. 

This  is  not  the  place  pefhaps  to  detail  the  strange 
mixture  of  ceremonies,  half-barbaric,  half-Christian, 
that  accompanied  the  funeral.  Others  have  told  how 
the  but  recently  raised  American  flags  on  the  public 
buildings  were  lowered  to  half  mast ;  how  the  American 
troops  quartered  in  the  outskirts  paraded  in  the  pro- 
cession, including  four  hundred  Hawaiians  who  drew 


98  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

the  catafalque,  while  minute  guns  announced  the  fact 
that  a  former  ruler  was  being  borne  to  her  grave.  But 
Carl  will  never  forget  the  tall  figures  of  the  numerous 
chiefs  who  came  from  all  quarters  of  the  realm,  with 
their  feather  cloaks  of  ancient  make  and  "kahilis"  that 
had  waved  over  lines  of  dead  princes  whose  very  names 
are  now  forgotten. 

From  the  balcony  of  the  native  ahurdh  he  heard  the 
words  of  the  English  burial  service  read  before  an  aud- 
ience composed  of  many  colors,  races  and  costumes. 
Representatives  of  foreign  governments  were  there, 
some  in  gorgeous  insignia  of  rank,  but  few  could  have 
seen  in  their  own  land  a  pomp  more  fitting  or  a  grief 
more  real.  The  plumes  of  a  hundred  tall  kahilis, 
of  nearly  every  color,  waved  from  poles  of  immense 
height  and  seemed  to  bend  in  sympathy  toward  the 
throng  where  every  person  was  a  real  mourner. 

A  few  days  later,  as  if  like  the  music  of  a  returning 
drum-corps  at  a  military  burial,  the  first  Fourth  of 
July  under  which  Hawaii  had  been  an  American  Col- 
ony was  ushered  in  with  noise  and  excitement.  The 
mercurial  natives,  with  citizens  and  visitors  born  else- 
where, made  the  best  they  could  of  the  occasion,  while 
almond-eyed  Celestials  and  Japanese  lined  the  streets 
and  looked  on  with  wonder.  The  pretty  town  was  en 
fete,  but  while  the  mass  were  joining  in  the  celebration 
there  were  others  hidden  behind  closed  doors  and  shad- 
ed windows,  with  saddened  hearts. 

Our  young  friend  stood  on  the  sidewalk  till  the 
parade  had  passed,  but  the  shouts  and  music  jarred  on 
his  overwrought  brain.  Wlhen  it  was  over  he  walked 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  99 

slowly  up  to  Waikiki  and  took  a  long  swim  among  tihe 
breakers. 

The  beach  was  a  scene  of  gaiety  interesting  to  be- 
hold. Hundreds  were  there  besides  himself.  Occa- 
sional groups  of  native  boys  and  girls  were  to  be  seen, 
as  much  at  home  in  the  water  as  a  school  of  fishes,  and 
in  many  cases  clad  in  raiment  hardly  more  elaborate. 
The  survivors  of  the  Hawaiian  people  are  not  ham- 
pered very  seriously  in  their  old  habits  by  tihe  white 
residents.  Their  brown  skins,  apparently  of  the  tex- 
ture of  velvet,  answers  very  well  for  a  covering,  and 
regulations  wliich  custom  has  prescribed  for  the  ligfhter 
races  are  stretched  good-naturedly  for  them. 

This  beadh  is  so  shallow  that  bathers  can  walk  three 
or  four  hundred  yards  from  shore  without  finding  the 
water  above  their  necks,  if  they  are  careful  to  avoid  a 
few  spots  where  the  shelving  sand  takes  a  sudden  and 
deep  descent.  Far  out  from  the  land  are  reefs  over 
which  the  waves  break  ddiciously,  and  there  the  native 
surfboard  is  a  delight  both  to  the  Caucasian  and 
Kanaka. 

When  he  had  been  in  the  waiter  nearly  an  hour,  Carl 
became  aware  that  among  the  swimmers  near  him  were 
young  Van  Steuben  and  his  sister.  Billy  recognized 
him  and  nodded  pleasantly,  while  Misis  Amy  stole  a 
giance  in  his  direction  as  if  she  remembered  seeing  him 
before. 

"Splendid  surf,  isn't  it?"  said  Billy,  when  he  got 
nearer.  "We've  known  this  beach  ever  since  we  were 
babies,  and  it's  grand  to  get  back  to  ft  again.  You're 
making  quite  a  stay.  I  hope  you'll  find  our  liMe  island 
interesting." 


100  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Carl  answered  with  some  uneasiness  that  it  was  a 
very  beautiful  place.  The  closeness  of  Miss  Amy,  who 
was  but  a  hundred  feet  away,  confused  him.  He  could 
not  quite  get  over  the  fear  that  she  would  address  him 
suddenly  with,  "Aren't  you  the  man  who  rescued  me 
at  San  Francisco?" 

Miss  Van  Steuben  was  not  of  the  build  which  is  con- 
sidered tihe  true  type  of  a  water  nymph  by  artists  and 
novelists  in  general.  She  was  too  slender  to  fill  tihe 
picture  usually  drawn.  But  to  the  eyes  that  now 
watched  her  she  was  very  lovely  in  those  clinging  gar- 
ments, with  her  dark  hair  half  hidden  under  the  oil- 
skin cap.  Her  face  lost  nothing  of  its  dharm  with  the 
exercise  and  her  laugh  rang  out  like  music  when  3he 
placed  her  surfboard  before  her  and  let  a  huge  wave 
carry  her  with  the  speed  of  a  racehorse  toward  the  land. 

"She  can  swim  like  a  porpoise,"  laughed  the  brother, 
as  he  caught  a  nervous  look  on  Carl's  countenance. 
"She  learned  that  playing  with  the  little  Kanaka  girls 
when  she  was  a  mere  baby.  Yes,  I'm  coming!"  he 
Shouted,  as  Amy  signalled  to  him. 

Carl  realized  perfectly  that  he  was  desperately  in 
love  with  this  siren,  but  he  realized  still  more  that  his 
passion  must  be  a  hopeless  one.  He  was  not  only  pen- 
niless; the  life  he  had  led  as  the  companion  of  Peter 
Meyer  had  left  him  without  any  profession  by  which 
money  could  be  obtained.  He  was  even  in  debt  for 
the  amount  of  his  fare  to  the  island  and  the  price  of 
his  board  at  the  hotel.  He  felt  a  sharp  pang  as  he 
reflected  on  the  wide  distance  that  must  henceforth 
separate  him  from  every  ambition  but  the  sole  one  of 
earning  an  honest  livelihood. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  IOI 

He  turned  his  face  resolutely  away  from  his  fasci- 
nator and,  returning  to  the  bathhouses,  pulled  off  his 
bathing  suit  and  stood  for  some  moments  under  the 
cooling  water  of  the  shower  bath.  When  he  was 
dressed  he  slowly  strolled  back  to  town.  Street  cars 
passed  him,  crowded  with  merry  passengers,  Hawaii- 
ans,  Chinese,  Japs,  Portuguese  and  the  nondescript 
population  which  is  growing  out  of  their  intermar- 
riages. 

When  it  comes  to  matrimony  the  Hawaiian  girls  pre- 
fer any  race,  apparently,  to  their  own,  and  the  reason  is 
not  far  to  seek.  Few  Kanaka  lads  have  either  com- 
mercial instinct  or  industrious  habits.  To  become  the 
wife  of  one  of  them  promises  little  but  the  necessity  of 
earning  the  family's  support  on  the  part  of  the  woman. 

The  native  girls  who  have  white  fathers  form  a  very 
pretty  type.  With  their  brunette  complexions,  no 
darker  on  an  average  than  a  Spaniard's,  their  luxuriant 
black  hair  and  unapproachable  soft  brown  eyes, 
they  are  generally  successful  in  the  desire  of  their 
hearts  to  marry  a  white  man.  Those  who  cannot  se- 
cure so  high  a  prize  usually  accept  a  Chinaman  or 
Japanese,  who  as  a  rule  provide  well  for  them  and  treat 
them  kindly. 

It  being  a  general  holiday  every  public  carriage  was 
in  requisition  and  every  person  who  owned  a  "rig"  of 
any  description  had  it  out.  The  National  Band  was 
discoursing  sweet  music  at  Kapiolani  Park,  to  which 
point  mo»st  of  the  merry-makers  were  tending.  Saddle 
animals  were  also  numerous,  many  of  them  surmounted 
by  native  women  riding  astride,  in  flowing  garments 


IO2  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

which  reached  nearly  to  the  ground,  and  bicycles 
abounded  in  full  force. 

It  has  doubtless  been  noticed  by  most  readers  that  a 
low  condition  of  spirit  is  accentuated  by  the  gaiety  of 
others.  Carl's  were  at  a  very  low  ebb  indeed  that  July 
afternoon.  Peter  Meyer  and  Amy  Van  Steuben  strug- 
gled for  first  place  in  his  worried  brain.  Though  he 
knew  he  must  devote  all  his  energies  to  the  former  and 
blot  out  the  image  of  the  latter  entirely,  Nature  would 
have  her  way  for  the  present.  As  he  approached  the 
mansion  where  she  lived,  a  carriage  in  which  the 
brother  and  sister  were  seated  drove  past  him.  To 
Billy's  cheery  "Hello!"  Carl  lifted  his  hat  and  bowed; 
and  Miss  Amy,  apparently  from  pure  thoughtlessness, 
bowed  in  return  as  if  he  had  saluted  her  also. 

The  throb  which  his  heart  gave  contained  a  mixture 
of  pain  and  pleasure.  She  knew  at  least  that  he  existed. 
It  was  something.  He  straightened  up  and  walked  on 
with  just  a  shade  less  of  depression  on  his  mind. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  803 


CHAPTER  X. 

GOING  OVER  TO  HAWAII. 

ANXIOUSLY  impatient  to  reach  the  island  where  he 
had  last  heard  of  Peter  Meyer,  Carl  was  early  at  the 
wharf  on  the  morning  following  his  swim,  and  boarded 
the  steamer  Kjnau.  There  were  quite  a  large  number 
of  passengers  in  the  first  cabin  and  many  Asiatics  in 
the  steerage.  As  Carl  was  leaning  listlessly  on  the 
rail  and  watching  these  latter  below  him,  engaged  in 
their  interminable  games  of  chance,  he  heard  a  familiar 
voice  at  his  elbow,  and  turned  to  see  the  smiling  face 
of  young  Van  Steuben. 

"Going  over  to  Hilo?"  he  cried,  heartily.  "So  am 
I  and  my  mother  and  sister.  That's  jolly !  Amy,"  he 
called,  before  Carl  could  interpose  an  objection,  "let  me 

introduce  you  to  Mr.  Muller  of I  don't  know 

where,"  (bursting  into  a  laugh)  "but  it  makes  no  dif- 
ference. He  came  with  us  on  the  Australia  and  he's 
going  to  Hilo." 

A  weight  as  of  tons  of  lead  pressed  on  the  young 
man's  breast  as  he  heard  the  silvery  voice  murmur  the 
commonplaces ;  and  he  breathed  easier  when  Miss  Amy 
excused  herself,  saying  she  must  go  to  her  mother. 

"Look  here!"  cried  Billy.  "I  do  believe  you're  the 
fellow  my  father  was  talking  about  at  the  table  last 
night.  Aren't  you  hunting  for  a  friend  or  relation  or 


104  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

something  who's  acting  queer?  Yes,  I  thought  sot 
The  way  the  old  gent  made  it  out,  he's  treating  you 
mighty  mean.  I " 

Something  that  scintillated  in  the  blue  eyes  caused 
the  speaker  to  pause  suddenly.  It  was  quite  as  well, 
for  Carl  had  no  notion  of  standing  by  and  listening  to 
harsh  criticisms  of  Mr.  Meyer.  At  the  same  time,  he 
realized  that  an  altercation  with  "her"  brother  was 
something  to  be  avoided  if  possible. 

"Do  you  think  the  voyage  is  likely  to  be  rough?"  he 
asked,  to  change  the  subject. 

"Oh,  I  don't  know.  You  never  can  tell.  It's  not 
generally  any  too  smooth.  Sometimes  I've  seen  old 
sailors  laid  out  going  through  the  channel ;  then  again 
it's  like  a  millpond.  What  about  the  weather,  George?" 
he  called  familiarly  to  a  dark  man  in  semi-uniform. 

"We'll  have  to  wait  and  see,"  was  the  non-committal 
reply.  And  then  Billy  explained  that  George's  other 
name  was  Barkley  and  that  he  was  a  "half-white"  of 
Hawiian  extraction,  of  considerable  importance  on  the 
steamship  line.  Thoug'h  nominally  holding  a  minor 
position,  he  was  often  dubbed  "Commodore,"  for,  being 
a  very  large  stockholder,  he  could  give  orders  on  occa- 
sion even  to  the  captain. 

As  various  passengers  passed  near  most  of  them 
spoke  to  Billy  and  were  presented  by  him  to  Carl.  The 
most  noticeable  was  a  certain  Col.  Park,  also  a  half- 
Hawaiian,  a  millionaire,  (an  especial  distinction  in  that 
fast-fading  race)  an  ex-member  of  Kalakaua's  cabinet 
and  perhaps,  take  him  all  in  all,  the  finest  living  speci- 
men of  his  type.  Another  was  John  Barker,  Governoc 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  10$ 

of  the  island  of  Hawaii  under  the  oM  regime,  a  Jolly 

man  of  middle  age  with  infinite  capacity  for  fun. 

Between  each  introduction  young  Van  Steuben  would 
exclaim,  as  if  he  had  been  struck  with  an  entirely  ori- 
ginal idea,  "I  say,  come  down  and  have  a  drink !"  and 
when,  after  accepting  a  couple  of  bottles  of  beer,  Carl 
begged  to  be  excused,  he  took  the  refusals  so  much 
to  heart  that  his  guest  was  seriously  disturbed. 

The  afternoon  passed  without  special  incident.  The 
vessel  took  her  course  along  the  shore,  which  presented 
a  beautiful  appearance  with  its  lofty  hills  and  tropical 
vegetation.  Miles  of  sugar-cane  skirted  the  littoral  and 
most  of  the  conversation  among  the  passengers  had  ref- 
erence to  that  industry  in  some  form  or  other.  One 
who  had  recently  been  appointed  luna  of  an  immense 
plantation  that  was  yet  undeveloped  was  plied  with 
questions  as  to  the  prospective  value  of  shares  recently 
placed  on  the  market. 

Stories  of  the  wonderful  yield  of  particular  acres  in 
various  places  were  circulated  and  the  general  feeling 
was  what  a  stockbroker  would  term  "  bullish."  What 
effect  the  war  in  the  Philippines,  the  possible  action  of 
Congress,  the  growing  importance  of  the  beet  indus- 
try, and  a  dozen  other  items  might  have  kept  the 
talkers  busy.  Carl  listened  silently,  for  even  if  he  had 
felt  like  joining  in  he  could  have  contributed  nothing 
to  the  discussion. 

"I'd  be  glad  to  present  you  to  my  mother,"  remarked 
Billy,  at  the  dinner  table,  "but  she's  regularly  knocked 
out  and  Amy's  taking  care  of  her.  She's  the  worst 
sailor  I  know,  is  mother,  except  my  father,  and  it's 


1O6  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Strange,  too,  for  one  who's  travelled  as  much  by  water 
BIS  she  has." 

Though  it  can  hardly  be  said  that  Cafl  was  glad  to 
hear  of  Mrs.  Van  Steuben's  discomfort,  he  was  not 
Sorry  to  miss  the  proposed  introduction.  He  was  also 
relieved  at  the  non-appearance  of  Miss  Amy,  witti 
•whom  he  had  feared  he  might  have  to  carry  on  a 
conversation.  If  he  and  that  charming  girl  should  be 
by  any  accident  left  together  for  half  an  hour  the  secret 
he  wanted  to  keep  from  her  might  come  out  in  some 
way. 

Fortune  favored  him,  for  with  the  exception  of  a 
short  walk  on  deck  just  before  retiring,  Amy  did  not 
make  her  appearance,  and  Carl  seized  even  that  oppor- 
tunity to  absent  himself.  He  accepted  an  invitation  of 
John  Barker  to  try  two  of  the  Hawaiian  national  dishes 
of  which  he  had  heard  much,  raw  fish  and  poi. 

Now  poi,  that  mainstay  of  all  native  tables,  is  simply 
a  preparation  of  the  taro  root,  a  perfectly  healthy  and 
harmless  vegetable  of  which  many  Europeans  and 
Americans  grow  inordinately  fond.  The  young  man 
was  able  to  eat  a  fair-sized  dish  of  it  without  a  wry 
face,  though  he  insisted  on  making  his  initial  meal  by 
•the  aid  of  a  spoon  rather  than  with  the  first  two 
fingers,  as  Barker,  following  the  native  custom,  did. 
The  raw  fish  gave  him  more  trouble,  though  to  tell  the 
truth  the  fish  did  not  seem  to  deserve  the  eoithet  anv 
more  than  salt  cod  would,  having  been  specially  pre- 
pared with  condiments.  The  favorite  native  way  is  to 
alternate  a  mouthful  of  the  fish  with  one  of  poi;  and 
the  Kanaka  does  not  object  if  these  are  interspersed 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

wrth  a  drink  of  oka-la-hao,  a  fiery  fluid  extracted  from 
the  root  of  the  "ti"  plant.  Barker's  contagious  laugh 
and  a  number  of  Hawaiian  songs  which  he  accom- 
panied with  the  mandolin,  entertained  many  of  his  fel- 
low passengers  till  nearly  morning,  but  shortly  after 
midnight  Carl  excused  himself  and  went  to  hrs  cabin. 

"If  you  get  anywhere  near  my  house  while  you're  in 
Hawaii,"  were  Barker's  last  words  to  him,  "make  your- 
self at  home  there  as  long  as  you  like.  And  then,"  he 
added,  "go  off  like  the  rest  of  them  and  say  I'm  nothing 
but  a  blankety-blank  Kanaka !" 

A  healthy  and  hearty  laugh  shook  his  rotund  and 
somewhat  adipose  figure — a  frame  it  was  hard  to  be- 
lieve had  been  some  years  before  the  model  for  that 
perfection  of  symmetry,  the  bronze  statute  of  Kameha- 
meha  which  adorns  the  square  before  the  Government 
Building. 

Just  before  retiring  Carl  had  his  attention  attracted 
to  a  strange  light  in  the  sky  for  which  nobody  had  been 
able  to  account.  Some  thought  it  was  a  large  build- 
ing on  shore  undergoing  consumption  by  fire.  Others 
believed  it  a  bit  of  meteorological  phenomena.  The 
young  man  was  early  on  deck  the  next  morning  and 
learned  that  the  cause  of  the  illumination  had  been  as- 
certained. The  great  volcano  of  Mau'na  Loa  had  sud- 
denly burst  into  activity.  There  were  those  among  the 
passengers  who  connected  the  outburst  at  once  with  the 
'death  of  the  queen,  and  stories  began  to  circulate  of 
strange  incidents  which  had  always  followed  misfor- 
tunes to  native  sovereigns.  Others  said  jestingly 
that  the  mountain  was  merely  celebrating  the  first 


IO8  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Fourth  of  July  it  had  spent  under  the  American 
As  Carl  was  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  go  ashore, 
hoping  for  information  about  his  beloved  friend,  "Com- 
modore" Barkley  brought  him  some  interesting  news. 

"You're  anxious  to  meet  a  man  named  Fischer,  aren't 
you  ?"  he  said.  "Well,  I  learn  that  he  was  at  the  Club 
in  Kohala  a  few  days  ago.  You  could  reacih  Kohala 
from  here  in  a  few  hours,  while  if  you  stay  on  the 
Kinau  as  far  as  Hilo  it  will  take  you  several  days. 
Here  is  a  man  who  saw  him  day  before  yesterday." 

The  man  referred  to,  who  was  introduced  under  the 
name  of  Fredenborg,  and  who  had  just  come  aboard, 
corroborated  this  story.  He  was  a  bright  appearing 
person,  dressed  like  a  cowboy,  but  with  a  face  of  un- 
usual intelligence.  A  brief  talk  with  him  convinced 
Carl  that  he  had  really  seen  both  Meyer  and  Lindes. 
After  inquiring  as  to  the  means  of  transportation,  Carl 
was  not  long  in  deciding  to  disembark  at  once.  He 
took  his  "grip,"  the  only  article  of  baggage  he  had 
brought  over,  arid  after  thanking  Barkley,  went  at 
once  to  a  little  train  of  cars  that  stood  a  few  rods  away, 
looking  as  if  they  had  come  out  of  some  prehistoric 
ark.  Neither  of  the  Van  Steubens  were  in  sight  and 
there  was  no  other  passengers  to  whom  Carl  felt 
obliged  to  say  good-by. 

It  seemed  as  if  the  diminutive  engine  would  never  be 
set  in  motion,  nor  would  get  anywhere  when  its  wheels 
did  begin  slowly  to  revolve.  A  time-table  is  not  im- 
portant in  a  country  with  only  one  short  piece  of  track. 
Carl's  nervous  anxiety  was  intense,  but  there  was  noth- 
ing to  do  but  await  the  deliberate  movements  of  the 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  109 

concern.  When  it  arrived  eventually  alt  a  place 
called  Union  Mills  (though  why  it  bore  that  name  was 
not  apparent)  a  crazy  old  carriage  was  found  in  readi- 
ness to  take  people  to  "The  Club"  a  mile  and  a  half 
further  on;  The  Club  being,  it  appeared,  the  name  of 
a  hotel  kept  by  a  Japanese  named  Sakai,  but  more  gen- 
erally called  "Jim."  A  Honolulu  dentist,  wtho  was  to 
locate  at  The  Club  for  a  few  weeks,  with  the  intention 
of  pulling  the  teeth  and  the  legs  of  the  inhabitants 
simultaneously  (to  use  Che  cheerful  phrase  of  one  of 
the  men  on  the  Kinau)  entered  the  carriage  with  Carl 

Although  almost  sure  he  would  find  Mr.  Meyer  and 
Mr.  Lindes  at  Sakai's,  Carl  had  been  disappointed  too 
often  to  feel  much  surprise  when  he  learned  that  they 
had  departed  on  the  previous  day.  The  eruption  at 
the  volcano  had  interested  them  and  they  had  an- 
nounced their  intention  of  starting  immediately  for  the 
Volcano  House.  "Jim"  said  there  was  a  commercial 
traveler  in  the  neighborhood  who  was  going  on  the 
following  day  to  Waiamea,  and  Carl  could  doubtless 
make  arrangements  with  him  for  the  journey. 

The  traveler  turned  up  in  the  evening  and  readily 
agreed  to  share  his  vehicle  and  expenses  to  the  point 
suggested.  But  -when  they  reached  Waiamea  Carl 
found  he  was  again  too  late.  The  sought-for  travelers 
had  spent  a  night  at  Akona's,  and  driven  on  early  the 
next  morning. 

As  the  team  with  Which  Carl  had  made  the  journey 
had  been  hired  by  the  commercial  man,  and  no  oilier 
could  be  easily  obtained,  he  was  obliged  to  content  him- 
self with  the  latter's  slow  movements.  He  was  given  a 


IIC  A  SUGAF  PRINCESS. 

room  in  a  small  cottage  some  distance  up  the  street, 
which  Akona  was  using  as  an  annex  to  his  hotel,  and 
which  was  very  comfortable  and  inviting.  Most  of  the 
cottage  was  reserved  on  this  particular  night  for  some 
court  officials,  who  were  to  pass  through  on  their  way 
to  the  opening  of  a  session  some  distance  further  on. 

When  the  party  arrived  Carl  experienced  tihe  honor 
of  dining  with  a  live  Judge,  though  he  might  easily 
have  been  mistaken  in  his  traveling  clothes  for  a  fire- 
man. The  stenographer  of  the  Court,  a  young  Irish- 
man of  bright  wit  and  musical  tastes,  usually  referred 
to  by  his  companions  as  the  "Minnah  Bird,"  for  some 
occult  reason,  tihe  clerk,  and  one  or  two  lawyers  com- 
pleted the  party.  They  proved  on  the  whole  very 
agreeable  and  had  Carl  not  been  oppressed  by  his 
troubles  he  could  have  passed  a  delightful  evening 
with  them. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  III! 


CHAPTER  XI. 

"YOU   LEFT   HIM   THERE  TO  DIE?" 

MUCH  of  the  conversation  at  the  cottage  had  refer- 
ence to  the  outbreak  of  the  Volcano.  It  seemed  that 
the  inhabitants  of  the  island  were  much  excited  over 
the  eruption.  All  sorts  of  rumors  were  in  circulation 
as  to  its  direction  and  the  distance  it  had  covered.  One 
story  indicated  that  the  flow  had  already  traversed  t!he 
distance  between  mountain  and  sea  and  cut  off  all 
communication  with  Hilo  by  a  river  of  liquid  fire. 

There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  push  on  tlhe  next 
morning  and  find  out.  Carl  readied  Honokaa  at  noon, 
where  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet  a  sheriff  w*ho 
had  just  come  from  Hilo  and  told  him  flhe  road  was 
still  open  in  that  direction.  At  Lapahbehoe  he  ex- 
changed his  seat  in  the  carriage  for  a  saddle  horse  and 
after  a  difficult  ride  reached  Hilo  late  at  night.  At  tihe 
hotel  he  was  not  surprised  to  learn  that  Fischer  and 
Swartz  had  gone  already  to  the  Volcano  House,  as  had 
almost  everybody  else  who  was  able  to  do  so. 

Another  restless  night  followed  for  our  young  friend. 
He  drew  consolation,  however,  from  the  belief  that 
another  day  would  surely  bring  him  to  the  end  of  his 
journey.  At  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  he  mounted 
to  his  place  on  the  stage  wagon  and  tried  to  take  an 
interest  in  the  beautiful  road  that  led,  slowly  rising,  to 


112  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

the  heights  beyond.  It  was  a  remarkable  highway  in 
many  respects,  being  so  perfectly  graded  that  a 
bicyclist  of  average  powers  could  climb  the  entire  dis- 
tance of  thirty-five  miles  without  dismounting,  and  ride 
without  touching  pedals  back  to  Hilo  at  a  rapid  and  not 
dangerous  pace. 

The  views  of  mountain  and  sea  were  delightful,  and 
the  air,  straight  from  the  hills,  most  refreshing.  All 
the  other  excursionists  were  in  a  state  of  high  glee, 
exchanging  witty  remarks,  in  which  for  obvious  rea- 
sons Carl  did  not  join.  It  was  evening  when  they  ar- 
rived at  their  destination,  a  long  stop  having  been  made 
at  noon.  Springing  from  the  vehicle  Carl  lost  no  time 
in  asking  for  the  proprietor  and  propounding  the  ques- 
tion that  trembled  on  his  lips. 

It  turned  out  that  the  proprietor  knew  rather  less 
about  his  guests  than  one  of  the  wooden  posts  on  the 
veranda,  but  his  wife,  a  half-white  woman  of  intelli- 
gent appearance,  said  the  gentlemen  had  departed  very 
early  that  morning  with  a  party  for  the  scene  of  the 
flow.  She  addeld,  in  response  to  further  inquiries,  that 
Mr.  Fischer  seemed  quite  weak.  She  had  done  her  best 
to  dissuade  him  from  going,  but  he  had  paid  no  atten- 
tion to  her  advice. 

Carl  felt  now  that  he  had  tracked  the  men  dotwn  and 
that  if  he  remained  at  this  post  they  could  not  pass 
without  his  knowledge.  He  ate  a  light  dinner — which 
was  not  difficult  at  that  table — and  retired  to  a  dark 
corner  of  the  veranda  to  meditate.  It  was  nearly  ten 
o'clock  when  he  heard  a  step  approaching,  scad  looked 
up  to  meet  the  eyes  of  Marcus  Lindes. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

There  was  something  in  the  expression  of  those  eyes 
that  froze  the  words  whidh  sprang  to  the  younger 
man's  lips.  Lindes  was  haggard,  as  if  from  a  severe 
mental  strain.  For  some  seconds  he  did  not  speak. 
Then,  throwing  himself  on  the  floor,  he  ejaculated, 
"Oh,  Carl,  Carl!"  in  a  way  that  sent  terror  into  tihe 
breast  of  his  astounded  listener. 

Carl  ro>se,  his  lips  set,  his  teeth  grinding,  He  did  not 
know  what  to  fear,  but  his  heart  throbbed  violently. 

"Where  is  Peter  Meyer  ?"  he  demanded. 

"Oh,  Carl !  He  wouldn't  have  gone  if  it  hadn't  been 
for  me !"  Marcus  groaned.  "Adh,  Gott !" 

The  strong  young  hands  grasped  the  coat  collar  of 
$he  kneeling  figure  and  the  trembling  form  was  pulled 
to  its  feet  as  if  it  had  been  of  a  feather's  weigfot. 
"Where  is  Peter  Meyer?"  repeated  Carl.  "Answer!" 

A  shiver  passed  over  Lindes'  body.  He  had  no 
strength  to  keep  his  erect  position,  now  that  he  had 
been  raised  to  it.  "He  fs  DEAD !"  he  whispered,  in  a 
horror-stricken  voice,  and  collapsed  entirely. 

Carl  released  the  man  so  suddenly  that  he  fell  to  his 
knees.  Stepping  back  he  raised  his  clenched  fist  and 
had  half  allowed  it  to  descend  when  he  controlled  him- 
self. Before  he  struck  this  man  into  insensibility  he 
must  hear  some  explanation  of  his  dreadful  message. 

A  word  at  a  time  it  came  out.  The  party  that  had 
gone  to  the  lava  floiw  had  readhed  its  destination. 
Peter  insisted  on  being  among  the  foremost  to  inspect 
the  great  wonder.  Old  and  weak  though  he  was,  BO 
one  could  restrain  him.  All  the  travelers  tied  their 
animals  and  moved  forward  in  small  parties.  Sudden- 


1 14  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

ly  a  gust  of  sulphur  fumes  rose  about  Meyer  and 
Lindes.  For  some  moments  the  narrator  foug'ht  for 
his  life,  covering  his  mouth  and  nostrils  with  his 
handkerchief  and  trying  to  grope  blindly  toward  a 
place  of  safety.  The  density  of  the  fumes  was  so 
'great  that  he  could  see  nothing,  nor  could  he  call  out 
without  danger  of  immediate  aspliyxiation.  Hi's  hope 
was  to  reach  a  spot  of  comparative  safety  and  then  get 
his  companions  to  go  to  Peter's  assistance.  Alt  last  tihe 
wind  changed,  the  smoke  lifted,  he  could  see  for  a 
short  distance  about  him,  and  breathe  with  more  free- 
dom. But,  though  he  looked  in  all  directions,  and  cried 
loudly,  Meyer  had  entirely  disappeared. 

"And  you  left  him  to  die — while  you  saved  your 
worthless  self !"  muttered  Carl  between  his  teeth. 

"Aoh,  Himmel!  the  others  came,  we  searched  in 
every  direction,  but  it  was  of  no  use.  The  lava  crust 
was  thin — oh,  Carl!  I  cannot  bear  it!  He  was  my 
friend  of  forty  years,  and  /  brought  him  to  this — I,  I, 
I  did  it!" 

Lindes  rocked  to  and  fro,  sobbing  like  a  child. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  demanded  tihe  icy  voice  of 
his  companion. 

"A  minute,  a  minute ;  let  me  get  a  little  strength . . 
. .  I  wish  to  keep  back  nothing.  I  am  guilty,  before 

God  and  man You  shall  hear  all.  It  was  I  who 

pursuaded  him  to  come  out  here  and  not  to  write  you. 
Yes,  Gott  forgive  me !  Why  did  I  do  it  ?  Just  to  satis- 
fy my  contrary  nature.  He  had  been  boasting  of  his 
faith  in  you,  and  I  told  him  to  put  you  to  t?he  proof. . . . 
We  came  to  Hawaii  and  then  to  this  damnable  place. . 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  115 

. .  .And  in  a  few  days  more  he  would  have  been  your 
dear  friend  of  the  old  time,  for  he  knew  how  faithfully 
you  had  followed  him,  how  you  had  refused  to  accept 

Ulirig's  money,  he  knew  all ! Had  he  found  you 

here,  that  would  have  been  an  end  of  the  trial He 

loved  you  with  every  drop  of  blood  in  his  noble  old 
heart !  And  now " 

The  speaker  broke  completely  down,  sobbing  wildly. 

Carl  Muller's  brain  had  always  worked  slowly  and 
just  now  it  was  under  a  terrific  strain.  He  saw  only 
that  this  crouching  figure  'had  led  his  dearly  loved 
friend  to  death.  The  contrition  which  Lindes  exhibited 
was  an  insignificant  matter  compared  with  his  crime. 
Carl  tfhrew  the  kneeling  figure  prostrate  and  bent  over 
it.  His  fingers  began  to  twine  themselves  around  tihe 
trembling  throat.  This  creature  had  murdered  good 
Peter  Meyer.  Why  should  he  not  pay  the  penalty? 

The  bright  laug>h  of  a  young  girl  broke  the  spell. 
On  the  other  side  of  the  house  a  party  of  sightseers 
who  had  recently  arrived  in  a  private  carriage,  were 
enjoying  the  cool  air  in  each  other's  society,  quite 
oblivious  of  the  tragedy  that  was  so  near  being  enacted 
within  a  hundred  feet  of  them.  Carl  knew  Who  h'ad 
uttered  that  laugh.  He  knew  also  the  voices  that  soon 
joined  hers,  those  of  her  mother  and  brother.  The 
diversion  aroused  him  to  the  knowledge  that  he  had 
been  about  to  repay  a  dastardly  act  by  one  still  more 
reprehensible.  He  rose  instantly  and  walked  twenty 
steps  to  regain  his  senses. 

"By  your  own  admission  you  are  responsible  for  the 
death  of  my  best  friend,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  when 


Il6  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

he  returned  to  Lindes'  side.  "For  a  momettt  I  was 
about  to  render  you  the  punishment  you  deserve.  Go 
to  your  bed  and  sleep,  if  your  conscience  will  permit 
you;  and  tomorrow  at  daylight  start  with  me  to  tihe 
place  where  Peter  Meyer  was  last  seen,  that  I  may, 
if  God  wills,  give  his  bones  a  Christian  burial  I" 

Lindes,  overcome  with  emotion,  tried  to  grasp  the 
young  man's  hand,  but  Carl  folded  his  arms  rigidly 
and,  turning  away,  staggered  to  his  room. 

The  happy  party  of  which  Miss  Van  Steuben  was 
one  had  been  increased  by  several  late  arrivals.  Their 
gaiety  jarred  on  the  mourner  as  the  sounds  were 
wafted  to  his  open  window  over  their  heads.  He  sat 
down  and  buried  his  face  in  his  hands,  nearly  pros- 
trated in  his  bereavement.  To  be  so  near  to  his  friend 
— «to  learn  that  there  had  been  no  real  intention  to  dis- 
card him,  that  it  was  all  the  work  of  a  senseless  mis- 
chiefmaker!  And  then  to  hear  in  the  same  breath 
that  the  eyes  into  which  he  would  so  soon  have  looked 
with  the  old  love  were  forever  closed!  It  was  over- 
whelming. Carl  could  not  remember  when  he  had 
last  shed  a  tear,  but  his  hands  were  now  wet  with  the 
torrent  streaming  from  his  aoihing  lids. 

He  did  not  think  of  going  to  bed,  for  he  knew  no 
sleep  was  likely  to  come  to  him. 

"Oh,  don't  tell  me  any  more!"  he  heard  Mrs.  Van 
Steuben  exclaim,  after  an  interval  of  comparative  quiet 
"It's  the  most  dreadful  thing  I  ever  heard  of.  I  hope 
it  will  satisfy  you,  William,"  she  added  impressively, 
44  and  that  you  won't  think  of  going  an  inch  further 
toward  that  awful  Volcano." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

""lit  is  terrible  indeed P  assented  Miss  Amy.  "How 
did  you  hear_of  it,  Billy?" 

The  brother  repeated  the  story  whidh  some  of  the 
party  that  had  participated  in  the  accident  had  just 
told  in  the  hotel. 

"And  that  young  gentleman  you  introduced  me  to  on 
the  steamer  was  "his  nephew,"  said  Amy,  sadly.  "Think 
what  he  will  suffer  when  he  learns  of  it !" 

"If  fehere  is  a  searching  party  organized,  I  stall  go," 
said  Billy,  with  determination. 

"Of  course  you  will  do  nothing  of  the  sort,"  inter- 
posed his  mother.  "It  would  be  absolute  suicide." 

"Everyone  ought  to  go  who  can  render  any  service/' 
said  Amy.  "If  you  go,  Billy,  will  you  take  me?"  she 
added,  with  a  sudden  thought. 

"You'll  do  as  you've  a  mind  to,  as  usual,  I  suppose. 
But  if  you  ask  my  opinion " 

"Then  I  won't.  Now  don't  you  say  a  word  against 
it,  mamma,  for  I'm  going.  Yes,  I  am.  I  can  take  care 
of  myself  and  I'll  keep  out  of  all  danger." 

"Just  as  you  did  on  that  sailboat,  I  presume,"  was 
the  ironical  suggestion. 

"What  harm  happened  fo  me  there,  except  a  little 
wetting?  You'll  be  throwing  that  up  forever.  Billy, 
tell  the  men  who  are  going  that  I  shall  join  the  party 
and  won't  be  the  least  trouble.  I  feel  so  sorry  for 
that  young  man  I  can't  keep  the  tears  'back.  It's  just 
awful ! " 

And  muffled  sobs  were  wafted  to  the  ears  of  the  sad 
.watcher  overhead. 


1 18  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SEARCH  FOR  A  DEAD  MAN. 

IT  was  early  in  the  morning  when  Carl  arose,  but  it 
was  late  before  the  exploring  party  started  on  its 
journey.  He  met  Lindes  at  breakfast  and,  having  now 
complete  control  of  his  brain,  talked  with  him  calmly 
as  to  the  best  method  to  pursue.  It  was  clear  that 
Marcus  did  not  believe  the  expedition  would  amount 
to  anything,  as  it  was  impossible  in  his  opinion  to 
find  any  trace  of  a  body  swallowed  up  in  a  river  of 
burning  lava.  He  was  quite  willing,  however,  to  take 
any  steps  that  would  gratify  Carl. 

The  story  of  the  accident  was  now  known  generally 
m  the  hotel  and  several  gentlemen  who  were  contem- 
plating a  trip  in  the  vicinity  offered  their  services.  Carl 
accepted  them  all,  including  one  of  those  who  had  been 
there  on  the  previous  day,  a  Mr.  Bass.  When  the 
proper  quantity  of  provisions  and  water  had  been  laid 
in — for,  over  a  great  part  of  the  way,  no  food  or  drink 
could  be  obtained  even  for  the  horses — the  cavalcade 
took  up  its  march. 

Miss  Van  Steuben  soon  entered  into  a  talk  with 
Carl,  and  her  sympathetic  and  hopeful  attitude  encour- 
aged him  greatly.  It  was  not  a  time  when  he  need 
avoid  her  presence.  Little  by  little  she  drew  from  him 
the  history*  of  his  connection  with  Mr.  Meyer  and  the 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS  JIQ 

incidents  relating  to  the  latter's  disappearance,  except 
the  part  which  Lindes  had  played.  Of  that  he  did  not 
feel  that  he  could  speak  yet  to  anyone. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  a  full  description  should  be 
made  of  the  profitless  journey,  for  profitless  it  was. 
Before  Carl  had  reached  the  scene  of  the  accident  he 
was  obliged  to  admit  that  no  human  frame  engulfed 
in  that  molten  sea  could  escape  annihilation.  He  kept 
on,  however,  as  far  as  the  animals  could  safely  go, 
and  then  started  with  Messrs.  Lindes  and  Bass  toward 
the  point  where  Mr.  Meyer  was  last  seen,  urging  the 
others  to  observe  the  utmost  care  for  tfieir  own  safety. 

"We  shall  only  go  a  little  farther,"  added  Mr.  Bass. 
"There  is  no  need  of  risking  another  casualty." 

A  light  touch  on  Carl's  coatsleeve  caused  him  to 
turn.  Miss  Amy  was  at  his  elbow. 

"Let  me  go — a  little  way,"  she  pleaded.  "I  will  be 
very  careful.  I  have  splendid  eyesight.  Please!" 

"No !"  he  answered,  almost  sternly.  Then,  when  she 
began  a  new  argument,  he  called  to  Billy:  "Do  not 
let  your  sister  run  any  risk."  And  he  was  gone. 

Five  minutes  passed,  ten,  and  still  the  men  who  were 
conducting  the  hopeless  search  went  on.  Occasionally 
the  undulations  of  the  ground  hid  them  from  the  eyes 
that  would  have  followed  their  movements.  Frequent- 
ly a  gust  of  sulphurous  air  compelled  them  to  pause. 
At  last  Carl  was  obliged  to  admit  that  it  was  folly  to 
continue  further  and  listened  to  the  urgent  advice  of 
Mr.  Bass  to  retrace  his  steps. 

With  the  fumes  of  sulphur  coming,  now  from  this 
side,  now  from  that,  the  men  had  to  stop  more  than 


I2O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

once,  covering  their  mouths  and  nostrils.  Mr.  Bass 
came  in  first,  quite  exhausted.  He  staggered  and  al- 
most fell,  and  the  efforts  of  the  others  were  at  once 
devoted  to  his  succor.  Mr.  Lindes  came  second,  in 
even  a  worse  condition.  The  watchers  began  to  realize 
what  a  hell  raged  within  a  thousand  feet  of  where  they 
stood. 

"He  has  not  come!"  cried  Amy,  frantically,  to  her 
brother.  "Are  you  going  to  let  him  die  there !  Well, 
I'm  not !"  and  before  he  had  any  idea  of  her  intention 
she  started  towards  the  lava  flow  at  her  utmost  speed. 

Billy  shouted  "Come  back!"  but  the  girl  paid  no 
attention  to  him.  He  was  obliged  to  follow  her  in  a 
run,  but  she  kept  her  lead.  When  the  lava  was  readied 
he  saw  her  pause  and  look  anxiously  in  all  directions. 
Then  she  waved  her  hand  to  him  to  hasten  and  disap- 
peared into  the  ravine. 

Carl  lay  prostrate,  though  not  unconscious.  The 
sulphurous  gases  were  rising  all  about  him,  but  he  was 
fighting  bravely  for  breath.  Just  as  his  strength  and 
courage  seemed  failing  together  he  saw  Amy  Van 
Steuben  coming  in  his  direction.  He  struggled  to  his 
feet,  waving  the  handkerchief  that  had  been  placed  over 
his  mouth,  hoping  it  would  stop  the  girl's  forward 
movement.  Finding  it  did  not  do  so,  he  began  to 
move  with  slow  and  painful  steps  in  her  direction.  Be- 
fore he  reached  her  side  Amy's  slight  strength  gave 
way.  She  made  a  misstep  and  would  have  fallen  had 
he  not  caught  her  in  his  arms. 

Despairing  with  a  conviction  that  Peter  Meyer's 
body  could  never  be  recovered,  fainting  from  the  ttt> 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESu. 

rible  fumes  lie  had  been  breathing,  the  siglit  of  that 
white  face,  the  pressure  of  that  limp  body,  put  new. 
life  into  him.  Without  the  least  idea  of  What  he  was 
doing  he  pressed  his  lips  to  hers  for  one  brief  moment, 
and  murmured,  "My  darling!"  Then,  carrying  his 
burden,  he  walked  rapidly,  almost  running,  till  he  met 
Billy,  who  insisted  on  relieving  him  of  her  weight. 

Half  crazed  by  the  conflict  of  emotions  Carl  made  a 
momentary  effort  to  retain  possession  of  the  still  form, 
but  Billy,  at  that  moment  the  stronger,  had  no  hesita- 
tion in  taking  it  from  him.  Two  of  the  others  now 
came  forward  and  offered  their  assistance  to  Carl,  who 
began  suddenly  to  realize  how  much  he  needed  it. 

As  soon  as  he  was  safely  out  of  danger  he  hastened 
to  ask  about  the  young  lady. 

"She's  all  right!"  shouted  Billy.  "The  Lord  takes 
care  of  children  and  fools.  What  the  dickens  did  sihe 
expect  to  accomplish  by  running  into  that  fire !" 

Carl  was  not  content  till  he  had  staggered  to  his  feet 
and  seen  for  himself  that  Miss  Van  Steuben  was  sitting 
up  and  had  her  eyes  open. 

"They've  all  been  scolding  me,"  sihe  said,  hysterical- 
ly. "I  don't  suppose  anybody  has  thought  to  thanlc 
you  for  saving  me." 

"Saving  you!''  he  answered,  surprised.  "Oh,  yes, 
but  you  saved  me  first.  I  had  almost  given  up,  the  gas 
was  so  powerful,  and  I  must  have  breathed  a  lot  of  it. 
Then  I  saw  you  were  in  danger — and  that  spurred  me 
up,  you  see — and  I  succeeded  in  escaping." 

A  smile  crossed  the  faces  of  the  onlookers.  Amy 
exclaimed,  "There!  You  see  I  did  some  good,  after 


122  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS, 

aM."  Then  m  response  to  earnest  advice  she  consented 
to  lie  down  for  a  few  moments.  Carl  refused  to  take 
the  same  counsel,  feeling  that  a  man  should  exert  all 
the  strength  he  had.  And  it  was  quite  as  well  that  he 
kept  his  feet  and  took  in  full  breaths  of  the  pure  air 
of  the  mountainside. 

Soon  it  was  time  for  lunch.  Around  the  circle  that 
was  formed  congratulations  were  poured  in  on  both  the 
young  people  for  their  escape  from  danger.  The  won- 
derful sight  all  had  witnessed  was  discussed  at  length, 
only  Carl  and  Mr.  Lindes  remaining  silent.  At  last 
the  lively  talkers  began  to  remember  that  there  was  a 
special  sadness  in  the  occasion  for  these  two,  and  their 
loss  was  referred  to  in  low  tones. 

"I  should  think  an  old  man,  overcome  with  sulphur 
gas,  would  not  experience  much  suffering,"  said  one. 
"We  are  naturally  shocked  at  such  a  death,  because  it 
is  sudden  and  mysterious;  but  people  dying  in  tiheir 
beds  must  often  have  a  larger  share  of  pain." 

The  suggestion,  though  well  meant,  did  not  Wave 
the  intended  effect,  and  no  one  attempted  to  repeat  the 
experiment.  An  hour  later  Miss  Van  Steuben  said  Slhe 
felt  quite  able  to  mount  her  horse,  and  presently  the 
party  started  on  its  homeward  journey. 

"I  am  more  grateful  to  you  than  I  am  afraid  I  ap- 
pear," said  the  young  lady,  in  a  low  voice,  as  her  horse 
came  alongside  Carl's. 

"But  it  is  I  who  owe  you  gratitude,"  he  replied.  "If 
it  had  not  been  for  you  I  never  should  have  come  out 
of  that  place  alive." 

"I  am  so  glad  you  feel  that  way.    I  want  to  get  a 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  123 

•-.r  - 

little  credit  for  something  besides  recklessness.  I  don't 
know  what  mother  will  say.  This  is  the  second  time  I 
have  been  nearly  killed  within  a  few  months.  Did  you 
hear  how  I  fell  into  the  Bay  at  San  Francisco  ?" 

He  seemed  to  ruminate  for  some  time,  and  finally 
stammered  that  he  believed  he  had  heard  somebody 
mention  it  on  the  steamer. 

"You  don't  seem  much  interested,"  she  began.  "No, 
I  beg  your  pardon.  It  was  this  way :  I  was  out  yacht- 
ing, and  was  run  down  by  a  tugboat.  All  our  party, 
including  myself,  were  knocked  overboard  instantly. 
I  thought  I  knew  how  to  swim,  but  when  I  struck  the 
water  I  was  dazed.  What  would  have  happened  I 
don't  know  had  not  a  young  gentleman  who  was  out 
rowing  sprang  after  me.  And  wihen  the  excitement 
abated  a  little  and  Billy  wanted  to  thank  him  or — in 
case  he  would  accept  it — offer  him  a  reward " 

"You  could  not  tihink  he  would  take  money!"  cried 
Carl,  shutting  his  teeth  together. 

"Why,  don't  you  think  I'm  worth  paying  for?" 

He  could  only  turn  his  eyes  in  the  opposite  direction. 
Had  he  looked  into  hers  he  would  have  seen  the  sup- 
pressed merriment  in  them. 

"Well,  at  any  rate,  he  had  disappeared ;  and  though 
we  advertised  in  the  papers  we  never  got  the  faintest 
trace  of  him.  It's  awfully  embarrassing  for  a  girl  to 
owe  her  life  to  some  man  whom  she  doesn't  even 
know  by  name.  It's  a  little  that  way  when  she  does 
know  it,"  she  added,  thougihtfully.  "But  of  course, 
in  this  matter  that's  just  happened,  if  it  was  I  who 
saved  your  life,  you're  the  one  to  feel  embarrassment." 


"KM.  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

He  did  not  know  enough  about  young  women's  style 
of  light  conversation  to  understand  her  badinage, 
though  it  struck  him  there  was  a  false  note  in  it  some- 
where. He  answered  in  his  usual  straightforward  way. 

"No,  Miss  Van  Steuben,  I  don't  feel  embarrassed, 
especially  as  I  was  able  to  in  some  slight  degree  return 
your  kindness.  I  feel  very  grateful,  however,  and  I 
shall  say  as  much  to  your  father,  if  I  have  the  pleasure 
pf  meeting  him  again." 

She  did  not  speak  for  some  time. 

"It  really  makes  me  out  a  heroine,  doesn't  it?"  she 
said  finally.  "I  shall  positively  become  vain." 

Then  seeing  how  sober  his  face  was  she  exclaimed, 
"Please  forgive  me.  I  would  do  anything  to  lighten 
your  grief  if  it  were  in  my  power — 'believe  me." 

They  were  never  to  be  more  than  ordinary  acquain- 
tances and  there  was  no  reason  wny  he  should  decline 
to  clasp  the  hand  she  extended. 

"I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart,"  he  said,  simply, 
(dropping  the  hand  as  quickly  as  he  had  taken  it. 

Soon  Miss  Van  Steuben's  horse  dropped  behind  and 
her  place  was  taken  by  Mr.  Bass.  Seeing  that  Carl 
was  Inclined  toward  taciturnity  that  gentleman  made 
only  occasional  remarks  and  nothing  worthy  of  note 
transpired  during  the  rest  of  the  trip. 

When  Amy  related  her  adventure  to  her  mother  Mrs. 
Van  Steuben  held  up  both  hands  in  despair. 

"I  felt  that  you  ought  not  to  go,"  she  said.  "When 
will  you  learn  that  such  actions  are  not  becoming  to  the 
Slaughter  of  a  sugar  king." 

"Poolh!"  was  the  unfilial  response.    "My  dear  oW 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  i^j 

Popsie  is  just  the  same  bundle  of  sweetness  he  was  be- 
fore the  rise  in  sugar  gave  him  that  title  you  like  so 
well.  He  wouldn't  have  had  me  let  a  poor  boy  perish 
when  I  could  rush  in  and  save  him  just  as  easily  as 
not;  and  you  wouldn't,  either;  you  know  you 
wouldn't!" 

"At  the  rate  you're  going  on  you'll  have  a  regiment 
of  young  men  you've  saved,  or  who've  saved  you,  an- 
tioying  the  life  out  of  us.  I  wouldn't  have  this  last 
exploit  made  public  for  anything.  It  might  ruin  your 
chances  forever  to  have  it  know  you  are  such  a  tom- 
boy." 

"My  chances  for  what  ?"  was  the  impatient  question. 
"For  marriage,  I  suppose !  Well,  as  I'm  never  going  to 
get  married,  that  won't  matter." 

"What  did  that  Mr.  What's-his-name  say  to  you 
when  he  recovered  ?" 

"He  just  said  he  was  much  obliged.  He's  a  sour, 
misanthropic  sort  of  chap,  I  think,  though  I  suppose 
the  death  of  his  poor  uncle  is  partly  to  blame  for  it 
just  now." 

"Oh,  yes,  he's  the  one  your  father  was  talking  about. 
He  won't  be  very  gay,  of  course,  till  he  finds  out 
how  the  will  reads." 

And  Mrs.  Van  Steuben  wondered  what  made  her 
daughter  fling  herself  out  of  the  room  as  if  a  mine  was 
about  to  explode  in  her  proximity. 


126  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

INVITED  OUT  TO  DINNER. 

THOUGH  Mr.  Lindes  took  the  next  steamer  back  to 
Honolulu  Carl  did  not  speak  to  him  on  the  way. 
Neither  did  he  have  any  formal  parting  with  the  Van 
Steubens,  but  this  was  rather  on  account  of  his  early 
departure  than  from  any  intention  of  slighting  them. 
The  new  condition,  or  rather  the  fixed  condition,  in 
which  the  catastrophe  left  him  made  prompt  action 
necessary.  There  was  every  reason  now  Why  he  should 
return  as  soon  as  possible  to  the  United  States  and  take 
up  the  battle  of  life  in  earnest. 

The  first  thing  he  did  after  reaching  Honolulu  was  to 
go  to  Mr.  Van  Steuben's  office,  and  relate  the  fate 
•which  had  overtaken  Mr.  Meyer,  witih  the  fruitless  re- 
sult of  the  search  that  had  been  made.  The  sugar 
planter  listened  to  the  detaik  with  genuine  distress. 

"Has  Mr.  Lindes  given  no  explanation  of  your 
friend's  strange  actions  concerning  you  ?"  he  inquired, 
.When  tine  story  came  to  an  end. 

"Yes,  sir,  but  I  would  rather  be  excused  from  going 
into  that  matter.  Will  you  kindly  direct  me  to  the 
office  of  the  lawyer  who  I  understood  you  to  say  has 
executed  Mr.  Meyer's  latest  will,  that  I  may  put  him  in 
possession  of  the  facts  of  his  death." 

Mr.  Van  Steuben  offered  to  accompany  him  to  the 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  I2jj 

lawyer's  office  and  they  walked  there  together.  The 
will  was  produced,  signed  and  sealed  in  proper  form, 
and  the  lawyer  saw  no  objection  when  Mr.  Van 
Steuben  asked  the  privilege  of  reading  it. 

"He  has  bequeathed  you  only  the  sum  of  one  hundred 
dollars,"  he  said  to  Carl.  "All  tlhe  rest  goes  to  found 
an  orphan  asylum." 

'"And  the  executor " 

"There  are  two,  Mr.  Lindes  and  Mr.  Uhrig  of  St. 
Louis." 

"Then  I  will  inform  you,"  said  Carl  to  the  attorney, 
"that  Mr.  Lindes  returned  this  morning  from  the 
Island  of  Hawaii,  and  is  at  the  Royal  Hotel.  As  I 
can  be  of  no  further  use  here,"  he  added,  rising,  "I 
Shall  take  the  first  steamer  to  the  States." 

When  Mr.  Van  Steuben  and  Carl  reached  the  latter's 
office  again,  Carl  declined  an  invitation  to  enter. 

"Don't  be  too  down-hearted,"  said  the  planter,  kind- 
ly. "Your  friend  has  done  you  an  injustice,  Mr. 
Meyer,  but  you  have  youth  and  health  and  a  long  life 
before  you." 

"I  don't  think  I  can  make  it  quite  plain  to  you  ju'st 
how  I  feel,"  was  the  choking  answer.  "And  you  rriust 
not  call  me  Meyer.  My  name  is  Mufller.  I  used  Mr. 
Meyer's  name  to  please  him,  though  it  was  never  made 
mine  legally,  and  my  right  to  it  has  certainly  expired." 

Mr.  Van  Steuben  felt  more  than  ordinary  interest  in 
the  protege  of  his  old  friend.  He  was  more  than  half 
convinced  that  the  will  made  in  Honolulu  could  be  set 
aside,  for  it  was  clear  that  the  testator  was  not  in  a 
perfectly  sound  state  of  mind  wfliem  it  was  executed. 


128  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

He  determined  to  see  Mr.  Lindes  as  soon  as  possible 
and  ascertain  his  attitude  in  the  matter.  In  the  mean- 
tfrne  he  desired  to  keep  Carl  from  leaving  the  island 
and  set  about  some  way  to  accomplish  it  without  excit- 
ing the  young  man's  suspicions. 

After  long  thought  he  evolved  a  plan.  The  Rev.  Eli 
Lovejoy,  who  was  making  a  protracted  stay  in  Hono- 
lulu, made  frequent  calls  at  his  residence.  To  him  Mr. 
Van  Steuben  unbosomed  as  mudh  of  the  proposition  as 
he  thought  wise  and  asked  his  co-operation. 

"Certainly,  certainly,"  replied  the  minister,  dream- 
ily. "What  do  you  wish  me  to  do?" 

"Well,  let  us  see.  You  are  traveling  alone,  going 
to  take  a  long  journey,  perhaps  around  the  world.  You 
need  to  engage  a  young  fellow  who  has  been  over  the 
same  route  to  accompany  you  as  a  sort  of  companion 
and  secretary." 

"Yes,  yes,"  mused  the  clergyman,  nodding  several 
times.  "Now  that  you  suggest  the  idea,  I  see  it  is  just 
what  I  do  want.  I  wonder  I  haven't  thought  of  it  be- 
fore." 

"I  don't  know  as  our  young  friend  will  accept  that 
sort  of  position,  but  it  will  be  easy  to  ascertain.  The 
Gaelic  will  be  here  in  a  few  days  and  if  I  don't  do 
something  he  will  sail  off  to  San  Francisco,  which  may 
be  the  last  we  will  ever  see  of  him.  You  must  meet 
him  at  the  hotel,  get  into  a  conversation  and  put  out 
a  feeler." 

"Y-e-s,"  was  the  drawling  reply.  'Til— I'll  put  out 
a  feeler." 

It  may  be  enough  for  the  present  to  say  that  the 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  129 

"feeler"  was  "put  out,"  and  that  in  his  condition  of  im- 
pecuniosity  Carl  did  not  hesitate  long  in  his  answer. 

"It  is  not  a  question  of  what  I  would  like  to  do,  but 
of  what  I  must,"  he  said  frankly.  "I  have  a  fair  edu- 
cation an'd  am  willing  to  do  any  honest  work.  I  realize 
the  difficulty  of  finding  a  position,  without  influence 
or  capital  I  therefore  accept  your  offer,  Mr.  Lovejoy, 
with  the  understanding  that  if  I  can  better  myself  I 
shall  be  at  liberty  to  give  you  a  month's  notice.  There 
is  one  stipulation  that  I  would  like  to  make.  It  is 
very  important  for  me  to  have  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  in  advance,  to  liquidate  a  debt  I  owe." 

Mr.  Lovejoy  agreed  to  this  without  debate. 

"You  may  make  your  cheque  payable  to  Howard 
Pyne,"  said  Carl. 

"What!  Mr.  Pyne  of  the  detective  firm  in  San 
Francisco  ?" 

"Yes.  It  was  he  who  located  Mr.  Meyer  in  this  part 
of  the  world  and  was  good  enough  to  lend  me  that 
amount." 

Carl  began  his  new  duties  at  once,  w*hich  proved  to 
consist  for  the  present  of  nothing  more  arduous  than 
attending  his  patron  on  various  excursions,  which  they 
generally  took  in  a  carriage.  Mr.  Lovejoy  was  an  ex- 
tremely absent-minded  man  and  a  very  dull  compan- 
ion. He  asked  the  same  questions  over  and  over  and 
frequently  forgot  appointments  he  had  seemed  anxious 
to  make.  However  Carl  got  along  with  him  quite  well 
and  tried  to  look  on  the  bright  side  of  a  future  that 
seemed  unusually  devoid  of  sunshine. 

As  the  minister  insisted  that  he  wanted  his  secretary 


130  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

to  act  on  terms  of  perfect  equality,  Carl  was  obligeu 
to  accompany  him  to  several  private  houses  to  which 
he  was  invited.  One  of  these  was  Mr.  Van  Steuben's, 
into  whidh  he  was  inveigled  almost  before  he  knew  it. 
They  were  taking  a  short  drive,  and  as  they  reached 
the  residence,  Mr.  Lovejoy  said  he  must  stop  there 
for  a  moment.  Van  Steuben  insisted  upon  both  of 
them  coming  in  and  an  instant  later  Carl  found  his 
hand  grasped  by  Brother  Billy,  while  Miss  Amy  stood 
near,  regarding  him  with  an  expression  of  interest  and 
amusement. 

"So  you've  forgotten  me  already,"  she  said.  "That's 
tihe  way  of  the  world.  Papa,  here  is  a  man  whose  life 
I  saved  less  than  a  fortnight  ago,  and  he  doesn't  even 
return  my  bow." 

Then  the  maternal  voice  was  heard  from  the  next 
room  and  with  a  smile  the  young  lady  withdrew. 

This  affair  so  upset  Carl  that  when  he  was  asked  to 
return  to  dinner,  in  company  with  Mr.  Lovejoy,  he 
could  not  invent  any  reason  for  declining.  His  tacit 
consent  was  accepted  before  he  was  aware  of  it. 
He  framed  a  slight  hope  that  his  absent-minded  em- 
ployer might  forget  the  engagement  when  evening 
came,  but  for  once  Mr.  Lovejoy's  memory  served  him 
in  good  stead. 

The  dinner  was  not,  on  the  wnole,  an  unpleasant  ex- 
perience. Among  tfhe  guests  were  several  people  whom 
Carl  had  not  met  before,  one  of  whom  he  thought  he 
should  like  particularly.  This  gentleman  was  intro- 
duced as  Capt.  Ambrose  Thorn,  and  seemed  to  be  a 
general  favorite.  He  was  about  thirty  years  of  age, 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  13! 

w<bat  is  called  a  well-groomed  man,  of  intelligent  face 
and  agreeable  manners,  and  was  accompanied  by  his 
sister,  Miss  Olive,  a  young  lady  of  perfiaps  twentty. 
Carl  learned  that  Thorn  represented  a  syndicate  of 
capitalists  and  had  some  projects  under  way  in  which 
he  was  interesting  local  people.  Mr.  Van  Steuben  de- 
voted a  large  Share  of  his  conversation  to  him  and  his 
sister. 

Another  guest  was  introduced  as  Mr.  Somerset  Lor- 
ing,  and  after  a  surprised  moment  of  doubt  Carl  iden- 
tified him  as  the  skipper  of  the  sloop  which  had  been 
upset  by  the  steam  tug.  Loring,  who  had,  it  appeared, 
arrived  on  the  latest  liner  from  California,  was  an 
Englishman  making  his  way  around  the  world  in 
leisurely  fashion.  He  had  made  the  acquaintance  of 
Billy  in  California,  and  through  him  of  his  mother  and 
sister.  Mr.  Loring  had  that  well-bred  air  which  edu- 
cated Englishmen  seem  to  have  inherited  as  a  matter  of 
right.  He  was  about  the  same  age  as  Capt.  Thorn, 
and  was  almost  exactly  the  same  build  and  height. 
Good  health  imparted  a  ruddy  color  to  a  face  that 
might  fairly  be  called  intellectual.  He  was  a  litttle  dif- 
fident among  so  many  strangers,  but  made  fliat  valu- 
able addition  to  a  dinner  table  which  the  late  Mr.  Nye 
has  called  a  "fluent  listener." 

The  third  stranger  was  Mrs.  Caroline  Young,  a  wid- 
ow, who  had  come  to  Honolulu  recently,  bringing 
letters  of  introduction  to  prominent  people.  She  ad- 
mitted possessing  but  little  of  the  goods  of  flirs  world, 
but  gave  the  impression  of  having  laid  up  vast  treas- 
ures where  moth  and  rust  do  not  corrupt — in  other 


132  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

words  of  being  a  very  religious  person.  She  was  ex- 
cessively plain  in  features  and  dress,  and,  if  one  might 
be  so  bold  as  to  hazard  a  guess,  not  far  from  fifty. 

Mrs.  Young  had  endeared  herself  to  her  hostess  al- 
ready by  great  humility  and  the  high  opinion  slhe  had 
a/t  once  voiced  of  the  eminent  qualities  of  Mrs.  Van 
Steuben.  That  lady  had  long  desired  to  meet  some 
woman  of  sufficient  intelligence  to  thoroughly  appre- 
ciate her  qualities.  Mrs.  Young  furnished  a  valuable 
perspective  that  had  been  wanting  in  the  setting  of  the 
picture  of  whidh  she  was  the  natural  center. 

Mrs.  Van  had  been  at  one  time  decidedly  good-look- 
ing and  would  not  for  a  moment  have  conceded  tihat 
her  beauty  had  yet  entirely  vanished.  She  was  dark, 
as  might  be  expected  from  the  race  of  which  she 
sprung,  and  her  hair  showed  few  streaks  of  gray; 
though  there  were  malicious  persons  wfao  hinted  that 
silver  threads  wouM  have  been  more  numerous  if  left 
entirely  to  the  due  processes  of  nature.  She  had  taken 
on  rather  more  avoirdupois  that  a  sculptor  might  ad- 
mire, but  such  things  happen,  with  advancing  years 
and  good  living,  even  to  the  most  charming  of  ladies. 
By  the  aid  of  specially  made  stays  and  other  devices 
she  concealed  to  some  extent  the  ravages  time  was 
making  in  a  form  that  had  once  been  more  sylph-like* 
Her  gowns,  if  not  always  becoming,  were  at  least  al- 
ways expensive;  and  her  jewelry,  as  has  already  been 
noted,  was  abundant  and  costly. 

To  paint  the  opposite  side  of  the  picture,  Mrs.  Young 
was  much  taller  than  her  hostess,  and  extremely  ang- 
ular. She  had  no  ornaments  but  her  wedding  ring  and 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  133 

was  without  the  slightest  pretension,  not  orily  to  pre- 
sent good  looks,  but  to  what  are  called  "traces  of  form- 
er beauty.  Her  hair  was  of  a  disagreeable  shade 
of  brown,  with  streaks  of  brick  red;  her  eyes  of  a 
wholly  uninteresting  grey,  and  her  features,  when  in 
repose,  as  they  generally  were,  of  a  sort  that  reminded 
one  of  putty  sprinkled  with  freckles. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  Amy  comprehended  the  at- 
traction that  Mrs.  Young  possessed  for  her  mother, 
which  it  may  as  well  be  stated  grew  stronger  hour 
by  hour.  The  genius  which  impels  a  woman  to  select 
as  a  companion  one  of  strikingly  inferior  looks  had 
taken  possession  of  the  sugar  king's  wife  and  the  con- 
trast was  decidedly  favorable  to  her  own  appearance. 

It  should  be  said  right  here  that,  before  accepting 
Mrs.  Young  as  a  "chum,"  if  such  a  low  word  can  be 
used  in  this  connection,  Mrs.  Van  Steuben  had  made 
perfectly  sure  that  her  new  friend  was  in  the  highest 
degree  "respectable."  By  this  I  do  not  mean  merely 
that  she  was  of  good  moral  character,  for  that  is  taken, 
in  a  story  of  this  kind,  to  be  understood.  What  Mrs. 
Van  was  most  pleased  with  was  the  assurance  Mrs. 
Young  gave  her  that,  though  at  present  reduced  to  a 
modest  competence,  she  belonged  to  a  family  which  had 
in  its  time  stood  high  in  the  aristocratic  circles  of 
Nortih  Carolina.  The  Civil  War  had,  it  appeared,  im- 
poverished the  Morgans,  to  which  race  she  belonged, 
and  the  Youngs  as  well ;  and  when  her  "late  husband" 
had  succumbed  to  his  trials  she  had  felt  compelled  to 
sacrifice  the  family  estates  and  remove  to  the  north. 

But  though  poorer  than  she  had  once  been,  Mrs. 


134  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Young  still  retained  (as  she  took  occasion  to  mention) 
her  preference  for  the  society  of  high-bred  people 
(such  as  Mrs.  Van  Steuben)  and  would  have  found  it 
quite  impossible  in  any  circumstances  to  associate  with 
ordinary  persons.  All  of  which  delighted  Mrs.  Van 
and  made  her  ding  closer  than  a  sister  to  the  putty- 
faced  addition  to  her  list  of  acquaintances. 

The  conversation  at  dinner  turned  mainly  upon  a 
project  which  the  hostess  had  been  maturing,  of  taking 
a  trip  around  the  world,  in  company  with  her  son  and 
daughter.  The  fact  that  Rev.  Mr.  Lovejoy  was  bent 
on  that  errand,  and  had  readily  acceded  to  her  sug- 
gestion of  joining  his  "party"  made  the  opportunity 
seem  most  opportune ;  Mr.  Van  Steuben,  as  the  reader 
is  already  aware,  not  being  of  a  traveling  disposition, 
on  account  of  his  intense  dread  of  the  sea.  Mrs.  Young, 
who  had  come  to  Honolulu  with  no  intention  of  pro- 
ceeding farther,  had  reluctantly  accepted  a  proposition 
to  accompany  Mrs.  Van  as  the  latter's  guest,  though  a 
strong  disinclination  to  permit  her  expenses  to  be  paid 
had  to  be  overcome  by  artful  argument. 

As  the  talk  passed  around  the  table  Mr.  Loring  made 
bold  to  mention  that  he  expected  to  start  in  a  few  weeks 
for  Japan  and  would  consider  it  a  high  honor  if  he 
might  join  the  others.  This  being  welcomed  by  all,  and 
particularly  by  Billy,  the  motion  was  carried ;  where- 
upon the  gentle  voice  of  Miss  Olive  Thorn  was  heard. 

"I  wish  Ambrose  and  I  could  go,  too,"  she  said,  in  a 
charming,  childlike  way. 

"Why  don't  you?"  exclaimed  Billy  who,  though  he 
had  formed  no  particular  admiration  for  Miss  Thorn 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  135 

(which  was  rather  strange,  ais  he  had  knOwn  Iter  for  a 
month)  could  see  that  it  was  a  case  of  "the  more  the 
merrier." 

"Oh,  that  would  be  perfectly  splendid!"  cried  Amy, 
pressing  beneath  the  table  the  hand  of  the  young  lady 
who  sat  next  to  her.  "Capt.  Thorn,"  she  continued, 
coaxingly,  "If  you  can't  go,  yourself,  you  might  let  me 
take  Olive ;  won't  you,  please  ?" 

Before  the  Captain  could  reply  Mr.  Van  Steuben 
spoke. 

"Have  you  fully  decided  to  go,  yourself,  Amy  ?" 

The  girl  noticed  that  he  was  a  shade  paler. 

"Of  course  I  mean,  if  I  do,"  was  her  answer.  She 
was  still  unsettled  about  joining  her  mother's  excur- 
sion, as  her  father  had  intimated.  The  dislike  to  leave 
him  again  so  soon  had  hitherto  left  her  uncertain.  "If 
I  don't  go,"  she  explained,  "of  course  I'd  rather  Olive 
stayed  here.  But  if  I  do — if  Papa  thinks,  on  reflection, 
that  it  would  be  best"  (she  lowered  her  voice  delicious- 
ly) — "it  would  add  so  much  to  my  pleasure  to  have  her 
with  me !" 

Capt.  Thorn  smiled  at  the  ingenuousness  of  the  pro- 
position and  asked,  with  good-natured  raillery,  where 
his  interests  came  in. 

"Oh,  I  suppose  you  could  come,  too,  if  you  really 
wanted  to,"  Amy  replied,  with  a  blush. 

"And  if  you  decide  not  to  go,  Olive  and  I  can  govern 
ourselves  accordingly?" 

"I  think,  Amy,  you  are  rather  selfish,"  said  Mrs. 
Van,  rebukingly;  and  though  Mrs.  Young  did  not 
speak,  it  was  quite  clear  that  she  agreed  in  the  observa- 
tion. 


1136  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"Well,  I  am,"  Amy  admitted,  with  a  disturbed  laugh. 
"I  don't  know  anyone  who  isn't,  when  you  come  right 
rdown  to  what  they  most  want ;  nobody  in  all  this  world, 
excepting-  darling  old  Popsie  there ;  and  I  ought  to  be 
ashamed  to  think  of  leaving  him  so  soon,  when  I've 
been  away  nearly  all  the  time  for  three  years." 

The  thought  brought  the  tears  to  her  eyes  and  she 
drew  out  her  handkerchief  to  wipe  them  away. 

"I'm — not — going,"  she  said,  as  soon  as  she  could 
control  her  voice.  "No,  I'm  not.  So  I  hope  you  won't, 
either,  Ollie.  I'm  going  to  stay  at  home  and  be  a  nice 
little  girl  to  my  dear  father.  Now  it's  settled,  once 
for  all." 

And  with  the  latter  words  she  broke  into  a  laugfh  tihat 
was  a  mixture  of  happiness  and  pathos. 

Rev.  Mr.  Love  joy  regarded  the  girl  with  paternal 
benignity,  through  his  spectacles.  Carl  stole  glances 
at  her  and  at  his  plate  alternately.  He  observed  two 
thing's,  like  flashes  of  lightning  out  of  a  troubled  sky : 
Capt.  Thorn's  face  brightened  when  Miss  Amy  de- 
dared  her  intention  of  giving  up  the  journey  and  a 
sliadow  stole  slowly  over  Mr.  Loring's. 

Were  both  of  these  men  in  love  witih  the  young 
lady?  Why  not?  How  could  anyone  see  her  for  an 
hour  and  escape  her  fascinations?  He  wondered,  with 
a  pang,  if  either  of  them  was  to  succeed,  which  it  would 
be. 

"Well,  some  of  us  are  going,  I  suppose,"  Billy  broke 
in,  suddenly.  "We  shan't  give  up  the  trip  on  account 
of  one  person  backing  out,  sfaall  we?  I  tihink  if  we're 
going  we  might  as  well  start." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  137 

"We  can  safely  engage  passages  for  a  month  from 
now,"  responded  his  mother,  to  whom  the  appeal  was 
directed. 

"A  month!  And  there's  a  steamer  tomorrow !"  he 
replied,  regretfully. 

"It  takes  a  little  time  for  ladies  to  prepare  for  a  long 
journey,"  said  Mrs.  Van,  with  dignity,  while  Mrs. 
Young  looked  as  if  she  could  not  conceal  her  contempt 
for  a  young  man  who  did  not  know  as  much  as  that. 
"But,  Amy,"  Mrs.  Van  added,  to  her  daughter,  "you're 
not  really  going  to  be  insane  enough  to  give  up  the 
trip?" 

"Let  her  think  of  it  till  tomorrow,"  said  Mr.  Van 
Steuben,  gently.  "There  are  many  reasons  in  favor 
of  going,"  he  added,  as  his  daughter  started  to  inter- 
rupt him. 

"Mr.  Meyer — of  course  I  mean  Muller — (I  never 
shall  get  that  name  right — very  sad) — don't  you  think 
she  will  be  a  foolish  girt  if  she  neglects  such  an  op- 
portunity ?',' 

At  this  question,  which  Mrs.  Van  addressed  unex- 
pectedly to  Carl,  he  turned  very  red  and  could  not 
utter  a  syllable. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 
"THE  ONLY  SWEETHEART  I'VE  GOT." 

IN  Abel  Van  Steuben's  office,  the  day  before  Marcus 
Lindes  sailed  on  the  China,  he  revealed  in  full  his  con- 
nection with  the  Meyer  case. 

"I  shall  never  live  long  enough  to  forgive  myself," 
he  said,  with  a  deep  groan.  "There  never  was  the  least 
reason  to  suspect  the  boy  and  I  knew  it  well.  After  I 
began  the  work  I  would  gladly  have  stopped  it  if  I 
could,  but  whenever  I  hinted  at  anything  of  the  kind 
Peter  set  his  foot  down.  He  had  got  it  into  his  head 
that  there  might  be  something  in  my  suggestion  and 
there  was  nothing  to  do  but  let  him  run  his  course. 

"He  learned  from  Maple  &  Pyne,  the  detectives,  that 
they  had  seen  Carl.  Peter  had  consulted  with  that  firm 
•before  he  left  California  and  wrote  them  to  test  Carl 
thoroughly.  They  were  to  send  him  here,  with  very 
little  money  in  his  pocket,  and  see  how  long  he  would 
keep  up  his  search.  Oh,  Peter  was  in.  earnest  by  this 
time.  He  had  it  partly  arranged  that  we  should  take  a 
sailing  vessel  for  Seattle,  but  the  outbreak  of  the  Vol- 
cano induced  him  to  delay  a  few  days." 

There  was  a  short  pause  and  then  Mr.  Van  Steuben 
said  impressively — "What  is  your  honest  opinion  about 
Mr.  Meyer,  I  mean  in  regard  to  his  capacity  for  mak- 
ing a  will  ?" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  139 

"He  was  totally  unfit  for  it,"  was  the  unhesitating 
reply.  "I  shall  do  all  I  can  to  have  the  one  he  made 
here  set  aside.  If  necessary  I  will  even  tell  t!he  court 
the  full  story  of  my  fault." 

"You  can  rely  on  me  and  on  others  htere  for  affi- 
davits," said  the  planter.  "He  meant  his  property  to 
gx>  to  that  young  man  and  it  is  our  duty  to  darry  out 
his  wishes." 

Lindes  said  he  was  afraid  that  even  if  the  did  will 
was  re-established  Carl  would  refuse  to  accept  anything 
under  it. 

"We  will  see  to  that  later,"  was  the  smiling  reply. 
"People  don't  refuse  fortunes  so  easily.  Let  the  court 
decide  that  the  estate  is  his  and  the  rest  will  cdme  af- 
terwards." 

So  Lindes  went  home  and  began  the  attempt  to  right 
the  great  wrong  he  had  done.  The  Van  Steubens 
pushed  their  preparations  for  the  trans-Pacific  voyage, 
to  which  Amy  had  at  last  given  her  consent.  Mr. 
Lovejoy  and  Carl  got  along  nicely  together  and  Broth- 
er Billy  had  but  one  thing  to  sigh  for — the  fact  that  he 
was  to  be  absent  for  a  long  time  from  a  certain  olive- 
tinted,  brown-eyed  girl  of  whom  he  was  very  fond. 

The  product  of  the  mixture  of  European  races  with 
the  native  Hawaiian's  has  haid,  at  least  on  the  feminine 
side,  a  marvellously  pretty  result.  The  gentleness  of  the 
old  race  has  had  combined  with  it  from  the  new  a 
greater  intelligence  and  higher  ambitions.  The  daugh- 
ter of  a  Hawiian  mother  and  a  wlhite  fatiher  never 
marries  a  native  if  any  other  alliance  is  open  to  her. 
The  result  is  that,  in  spite  of  the  protests  of  Cau- 


I4O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

casians,  their  sons  often  unite  in  matrimony  with  the 
"half-whites,"  and  children  born  of  these  marriages 
are  quite  apt  to  excel  in  physical  attractiveness  the  pure 
bloods  around  them. 

It  was  one  of  the  "  three- quarter- whites  "  that 
weakened  the  intensity  of  Billy  Van  Steuben's  desire 
to  see  foreign  countries.  Minna  King  was  no  darker 
in  complexion  than  many  a  Southern  brunette.  Her 
features  were  as  classic  and  regular  as  a  sculptor, 
could  desire  and  she  had  one  of  those  willowy  forms 
over  which  poets  rave.  Above  all  she  had  the  great 
attraction  never  inseparable  from  her  class — the  soft 
yet  brilliant  brown  eyes,  of  a  shade  verging  toward 
tawny.  These,  with  a  wealth  of  coal-black  hair,  gave 
her  a  charm  that  might  well  set  a  susceptible  youth's 
heart  to  palpitating. 

The  girl  traced  her  ancestry  on  the  mother's  side  to 
the  third  Kamchameha  and  to  one  of  the  foremost 
families  among  the  "missionary  element"  on  the  other. 
But  Mrs.  Van  Steuben,  notwithstanding  her  own  weak- 
ness in  the  matter  of  ancestors,  was  horrified  when  it 
was  hinted  to  her  that  her  son  had  serious  intentions 
regarding  the  pretty  maiden.  She  would  not  discuss 
the  subject  seriously,  declaring  it  preposterous;  but  she 
was,  for  all  that,  very  glad  at  the  prospect  of  getting 
Billy  out  of  the  country  for  a  long  period. 

It  was  such  a  pity,  she  often  remarked  to  her  hus- 
band, that  their  children  showed  so  little  regard  for 
their  high  position.  And  he  only  laughed  at  her,  be- 
lieving in  his  simple  old  heart  that  Mirma  King  was  If 
anything  a  little  too  good  for  his  son. 


'A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  84! 

As  for  Billy,  he  had  never  in  do  many  words  aslced 
Minna  to  be  his  wife,  but  he  was  very  fond  of  her. 
She  realized  fully  the  disparity  between  them,  for  while 
his  father  was  the  richest  man  in  the  island,  where 
plutocrats  are  almost  as  plenty  as  canefields,  hers  had 
kft  barely  money  enough  to  support  her  and  her 
mother.  When  Billy  came  to  say  good-by  her  lip 
trembled,  but  she  concealed  her  feelings.  He  asked  if 
she  would  answer  his  letters  and  s(he  replied,  with  a 
toss  of  her  head,  "Perhaps,  if  I  have  time." 

The  reason  Billy  did  not  press  for  anything  more 
definite  was  that  he  feared  a  scene  might  follow.  He 
need  not  have  been  afraid.  Minna  was  too  proud  to 
show  deep  feeling  for  a  man  who  dared  not  speak 
definitely.  He  only  answered,  "Don't  forget,  now," 
and  so  they  parted. 

Two  encumbrances  which  Mrs.  Young  had  brought 
with  her  were  kept  carefully  in  the  background  until  it 
was  too  late  to  realize  their  full  significance.  She  had 
spoken  of  her  children,  mentioning  that  they  were  a 
boy  of  fourteen  named  "Angel"  and  a  girl  of  eleven 
called  "Seraph,"  but  Mrs.  Van  had  shown  no  further 
interest  in  the  matter.  The  young  folks  were  at  pres- 
ent in  an  Alakea  Street  boarding  house,  where  a  sort 
of  governess  was  supposed  to  be  attending  to  them. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  had  tihese  sweet  young 
creatures  been  exhibited  in  all  their  glory  some  means 
would  have  been  found  to  cancel  the  arrangement  by 
which  the  family  was  added  to  the  Van  Steuben  group. 
Perhaps  Mrs.  Young  had  some  apprehension  that  this 
aright  be  the  case.  Certainly  neither  of  the  infants 
were  exhibited  until  it  was  too  late  to  retreat 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

During  the  two  or  three  days  before  starting  Carl 
found  himself  the  recipient  of  confidences  from  several 
of  the  travelers  with  whom  he  was  to  be  thrown  in 
company,  as  we'll  as  from  Mr.  Van  Steuben.  Mr.  Love- 
joy  left  him  with  Mrs.  Van  one  afternoon,  asking  him 
to  consider  any  wislh  of  that  lady  quite  as  if  it  had  been 
uttered  by  him.  As  Carl  was  only  an  employe,  accept- 
ing a  salary  for  duties  which  had  thus  far  been  exceed- 
ingly light,  he  could  hardly  decline  to  listen  to  whatever 
the  lady  had  to  say. 

"My  husband  tells  me,  Mr.  Meyer  (I  mean  Mul/ler, 
I  wonder  if  I  shall  ever  get  your  former  name  out  of 
my  head)  that  I  may  have  full  confidence  in  you  and 
speak  with  perfect  freedom.  I  will  therefore  say  that 
I  have  two  principal  objects  in  taking  my  children 
abroad  at  this  time.  One  is  to  remove  William  from 
the  society  of  a  girl  who  has  formed,  I  learn,  an  attach- 
ment for  him  that  is  ludicrous  when  the  difference  in 
their  stations  is  considered,  and  who  is,  to  make  it  still 
worse,  tainted  with  the  blood  of  the  native  inhabitants 
of  these  islands.  The  other  is  to  introduce  my  daugh- 
ter to  more  refined  circles  than  can  be  found  here, 
where  the  people  are  as  a  rule  very  common.  She  has, 
I  believe,  a  brilliant  future  before  her,  if  She  is  brought 
in  contact  with  the — the  right  sort  of  people." 

Quite  stunned  to  be  made  the  confidant  of  such  in- 
timate secrets,  Carl  could  not  find  words  to  reply. 

"But  why,"  he  managed  to  say  at  last,  "why " 

"Simply  this.  You  are  going  to  be,  to  a  large  ex- 
tent, in  charge  of  our  party  while  we  are  abroad.  I 
wish  you  to  have  an  eye  on  nay  son,  as  reasons  may  sug- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  143 

> 

^ast  themselves  to  you,  from  time  to  time — an  influence 
over  him,  if  I  may  call  it  that,  should  you  find  him 
inclined  to  lower  himself  in  any  way.  And  knowing 
as  you  now  do,  my  other  purpose  in  making  this  jour- 
ney, you  may  also  be  able  to  help  me  from  time  to  time 
in  that  matter." 

Thunderstruck,  the  young  man  kept  a  dead  silence. 

"You  are  under  an  arrangement  with  Mr.  Lovejoy," 
pursued  the  lady,  "and  I  have  no  wish  to  interfere  with 
it  in  the  least.  I  only  want  you  to  understand  that  I 
am  not  apt  to  forget  a  service,  and  that  you  will  be 
handsomely  recompensed  for  anything  you  may  do  on 
the  lines  I  have  laid  down.  Good-day." 

As  Carl  walked  down  the  steps  of  the  mansion  he 
felt  his  cheek  burning  with  something  akin  to  shame. 
Mrs.  Van  evidently  considered  him  entirely  in  the  light 
of  a  servant,  to  whom  s'he  could  confide  any  of  her 
wfhims,  and  who  would  have  no  other  consideration  hi 
his  minid  than  the  amount  of  cash  he  was  to  receive  for 
the  service. 

For  the  first  time  his  new  position  galled  him.  Had 
there  been  any  feasible  way  to  escape  his  arrangement 
with  Mr.  Lovejoy  he  would  have  done  so  that  very 
night.  He  felt  that  if  he  were  to  tell  his  employer  that 
he  could  not  undertake  any  affairs  for  Mrs.  Van  Steu- 
ben,  it  would  simply  mean  a  termination  of  his  engage- 
ment. In  what  sort  of  position  would  that  leave  him  ? 
He  owed  Mr.  Lovejoy  $250,  borrowed  money.  He  had 
not  enough  in  his  pocket  to  get  back  to  the  States,  not 
half  enough  to  reach  St.  Louis.  And  even  if  he  arrived 
at  his  old  home  who  was  there  that  he  could  ask  for 


144  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

assistance  with  the  certainty  of  getting  it  tmtil  he  could 
look  for  some  way  to  earn  his  living? 

He  was  as  much  a  contract  laborer  as  any  coolie  from 
Japan  or  China,  out  on  the  plantations.  He  almost 
wished  that  he  had  a  cane  knife  in  his  hand  and  their 
$15  a  month  for  awhile. 

After  the  hotel  was  still,  that  night,  he  sat  for  hours 
in  his  room  thinking  of  Amy  Van  Steuben.  Her 
mother's  wish  to  introduce  her  to  "refined  circles" 
could  mean  but  one  thing.  She  was  going  to  put  that 
delicate,  beautiful,  sensitive  child  up  for  the  highest 
bidder  in  the  markets  of  the  world.  He  realized  again 
the  strength  of  his  love  and  his  helplessness  to  prevent 
the  contemplated  outrage. 

The  talk  that  decided  Amy  in  favor  of  going  abroad 
was  held  at  a  late  hour  on  the  evening  following  tine 
dinner  at  which  she  had  announced  her  intention  ot 
giving  up  the  trip.  She  and  her  father  were  devotedly 
attached  to  each  other,  and  his  delight  in  having  her 
at  home  was  shown  in  a  hundred  ways  that  touched 
her  deeply.  Wihen  none  of  the  others  were  present 
it  was  her  habit  to  creep  into  his  lap,  in  the  old  fashion 
of  her  childhood,  and  spend  blissful  hours  for  both  of 
them,  her  arms  twined  about  his  neck,  her  cheek  press- 
ed to  his. 

After  the  guests  had  gone  she  souglht  him  in  his 
library  and  ran  joyfully  to  the  profered  embrace. 

"I  have  thought  it  all  over,  my  little  Wild  Goose," 
(his  favorite  name  for  her)  he  began,  in  a  firm  voice, 
"and  I  am  sure  it  is  best  for  you  to  go  with  your 
mother." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  145 

"But  ycu  don't  really  wish  me  to,  Fopsie,"  she  an- 
swered, sitting  up  and  touching  his  lips  softly  with  her 
own.  "Just  say  you  don't  and  that  will  end  the  thing. 
Mamma  and  Billy  can  go  and  I'll  stay  here  with  you." 

"  No,  dear,"  he  answered,  "  I  want  you  to  see  the 
world.  It  will  be  a  great  education  in  many  ways  and 
when  you  come  back  you'll  be  all  the  better  for  it. 
You  will  come  back?"  he  added,  earnestly,  making  it  a 
plaintive  interrogation  that  went  to  her  heart. 

"Come  back?"  she  echoed.    "What  do  you  mean?" 

"You  know,"  he  said,  hugging  her  closer,  "that  your 
mother  has  ambitious  ideas — that  she  wants  you  to 
make  a  grand  marriage  with  some  titled  foreigner.  In 
that  case  you  might  never  see  poor  Honolulu  again." 

She  gently  pressed  a  delicate  hand  over  his  mouth. 

"Whatever  happens,  you  needn't  be  afraid  of  that !" 
she  cried.  "When  I  marry,  which  won't  be  right  away, 
my  husband  will  have  to  wed  me  right  in  this  dear 
island  and  make  me  a  home  here  and  nowhere  else. 
Mother  gets  queer  notions  into  her  head,  but  I'm  a 
little  set  in  my  way,  too.  She  says  I  get  my  con- 
trariness from  you,"  and  the  girl  laughed.  "Now 
listen.  You're  the  only  sweetheart  I've  got  or  am 
likely  to  have — for  a  long  time.  And  if  any  man  ever 
does  get  me  into  other  notions  I  shall  just  bring  him 
here  and  let  you  talk  it  over  and  do  exactly  as  you 
think  best.  There'll  never  be  any  friend  who  can  take 
the  place  of  my  dear,  indulgent,  kind  old  Popsie." 

"What  about  that  chap  who  sprang  to  your  assistance 
at  San  Francisco,"  he  asked,  mischievously.  "You 
jwned  to  me  that  his  protecting  arm  sent  new  sensa- 
jfons  Jfcroug'h  your  little  heart" 


146  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Amy  sat  up  and  laughed  again,  half  seriously.  She 
parted  her  father's  beard  with  her  fingers  and  looked 
brightly  into  his  smiling  face. 

"It  was  romantic,"  she  admitted,  biting  her  lip. 
"Though  it  would  seem  more  so  if  he  had  cared  enough 
to  come  and  ask  whether  I  lived  or  died."  She  took  a 
locket  from  her  neck  and  opened  it,  revealing  its  con- 
tents archly.  "I  wonder  what  he'd  say  if  he  knew  I 
had  some  of  his  hair  ?  I  found  those  six  strands  twisted 
around  a  button  on  my  dress.  They're  all  I've  got  of 
my  preserver  and  I  can't  marry  just  them,  cam  I  ?" 

He  joined  in  her  mood  and  inspected  the  hair  inter- 
estedly. "He  was  a  blond,  I  see,"  he  remarked.  "Do 
you  like  blond  men?" 

"I  believe  I  do.  Especially  great,  strong  ones,  that 
make  a  girl  feel  as  if  they  could  crush  her  with  one 
embrace  or  save  her  from  a  wild  lion  in  the  forest. 
Ah,  Popsie,  I  ought  to  have  taken  more  pains  to  find 
that  man,  if  you  are  ever  to  have  a  son-in-law.  It  will 
either  be  he  or  no  one;  and  that  means,  I  guess,  that 
you'll  have  me  on  your  hands  forever." 

She  closed  the  locket  and,  carrying  out  the  play  to 
the  last,  kissed  the  gold  clasp  as  it  closed  on  her 
treasure. 

It  had  already  been  arranged  that  Olive  Thorn 
should  make  one  of  her  party.  The  Captain  obtained 
due  credit  for  his  sacrifice,  and  the  girls  were  wild  wkh 
joy  that  they  were  not  to  be  separated. 

On  the  next  day  it  was  Mr.  Van  Steuben's  turn  to 
load  Carl  with  responsibilities.  He  was  very  glad  that 
the  young  man  had  accepted  the  engagement  with  Mr. 


A  SUGAR  PRI N  CESS.  i  47 

Ix>vejoy.  With  his  experience  in  travel  over  the  coun- 
tries the  party  proposed  to  visit  he  would  be  invaluable 
in  many  ways.  The  planter  was  interested  in  him  also, 
as  has  been  intimated,  because  he  was  a  former  protege 
of  his  friend  Meyer.  The  wisest  thing  was  to  keep 
him  away  from  St.  Louis  for  the  present.  Sending  for 
Carl  to  come  to  his  office  he  talked  witih  him  for  an 
hour  in  the  most  confidential  manner.  He  spoke  in 
plain  language  of  his  wife's  aristocratic  ideas,  saying 
he  did  not  share  them,  and  of  his  fear  that  sfhe  wiould 
endeavor  to  engage  her  daughter  to  some  gentleman 
of  rank  during  her  absence. 

''You  may  guess  how  thoroughly  I  trust  you,"  he 
said,  with  great  impressiveness,  "when  I  say  frankly 
that  I  would  advise  Amy  not  to  take  the  trip  but 
for  the  fact  that  you  are  to  be  in  the  party.  If  you  find 
my  child  likely  to  become  entangled  with  a  foreigner 
— no  matter  what  his  rank  or  station — I  want  you  to 
Interpose  in  any  way  you  deem  necessary.  These  islands 
are  soon  to  be  a  part  of  the  United  States ;  if  Amy  is 
to  marry,  an  American  is  good  enough  for  her,  and  no 
man  can  be  too  good  for  the  dearest  child  in  the  world. 
Please  take  this  letter,  giving  you  authority  to  draw 
on  me  for  money  in  case  of  emergency,  and  promise 
that  whatever  happens  you  will  guard  my  daughter 
like  a  brother." 

"I  promise,  with  all  my  heart,"  was  the  answer,  de- 
livered with  much  feeling.  "And  I  thank  you  sincerely 
for  your  confidence." 

As  Carl  rose,  the  subject  of  tlhis  conversation  looked 
in  at  ihe  doorway,  radiant  as  an  angel.  Mr.  Midler's 


148  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

presence  did  not  prevent  her  going  to  her  father's 
and  kissing  him  affectionately. 

"I  have  been  asking  Mr.  Muller  to  take  good  care 
of  you,"  said  Mr.  Van  Steuben,  holding  her  face 
between  his  hands. 

"And  I  am  sure  he  will  do  so,"  dhe  replied,  looking 
confidently  at  the  blushing  countenance  of  tihe  young 
man. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  149 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  NEED  OF  STRONG  PLAY. 

DURING  this  time  Howard  Pyne  had  not  been  idle. 
He  had  found  the  Meyer  case  (as  the  affair  was 
labelled  on  his  books)  a  most  interesting  one.  As  is 
sometimes  remarked  by  persons  who  use  slang,  he  was 
not  in  business  entirely  for  his  health,  and  this  affair 
had  given  him  no  cause  for  regret  from  a  pecuniary 
standpoint.  He  had  asked  and  received  a  substantial 
retainer  from  Peter,  when  the  old  gentleman  came  to 
him  and  revealed  the  details  of  his  scheme  to  settle 
beyond  a  shadow  of  doubt  tfhe  suspicions  of  Marcus 
Lindes. 

The  talk  which  Lawyer  Uhrig  had  with  Carl,  in  the 
first  place,  was  an  arrangement  suggested  by  the  detec- 
tive. The  first  thing  was  to  see  how  he  would  treat  an 
intimation  that  Meyer's  fortune  could  be  drawn  on  un- 
der the  supposition  that  its  owner  had  departed  this 
life.  Lindes,  who  had  no  idea  that  Carl  would  do  any- 
thing of  the  kind,  endorsed  the  scheme,  thinking  it 
would  enable  him  the  sooner  to  withdraw  from  the 
plot.  Uhrig  acted  according  to  instructions  and  Carl's 
declination  to  touch  a  penny  while  the  fate  of  its  owner 
was  in  doubt  was  communicated  to  Mr.  Meyer  at  once. 

Peter  read  this  letter  to  Pyne  and  Lindes,  wrtli  a 
triumphant  expression  on  his  face,  but  to  the  surprise 


I5O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

of  both,  and  the  consternation  of  one,  he  was  still  un- 
satisfied. He  had  been  slow  to  accept  the  idea  that 
his  beloved  boy  could  do  anything  dishonorable,  but 
now  that  the  tests  had  begun  he  was  determined  that 
they  should  be  thorough.  Nothing  less  than  the  reduc- 
tion of  Carl  to  penury  would  satisfy  the  unreasonable 
old  man.  There  would  be  time  enough  to  recompense 
the.  boy  for  his  sufferings  When  the  ghost  that  Lindes 
had  raised  was  laid  forever. 

"I'm  going  to  do  this  thing  now  in  my  own  way," 
said  Meyer,  doggedly.  "Carl  has  acted  the  part  of  a 
decent  fellow  thus  far,  but  I  want  something  more. 
I'm  going  to  see  how  earnestly  he  will  try  to  account 
for  my  vanishing.  Mr.  Pyne  can  keep  me  informed  of 
every  move  he  makes  and  I  can  judge  him  as  if  in  a 
mirror.  I  don't  doubt  the  boy — I  never  did.  It  was 
you  who  called  him  a  scoundrel  and  an  ingrate,  not  I. 
I'm  going  to  prove  now,  not  only  that  he's  all  I  claimed 
when  we  first  talked  the  matter  over,  but  more.  I  love 
the  lad  as  my  own  soul.  I'll  show  you  the  sort  of 
metal  he's  made  of.  If  he's  unworthy  of  my  affection 
he'll  give  up  the  search  for  me,  especially  now  he's  been 
told  he  can  have  my  money  by  applying  to  the  court. 
You  wanted  a  test,  Marcus.  I'm  going  to  give  you 
one  no  man  can  shake !" 

"But,  my  dear  friend,"  Lindes  expostulated,  "do  be 
reason-able.  How  can  you  expect  a  boy  left  with  noth- 
ing in  his  pocket  to  follow  you  around  the  world,  when 
he  don't  even  know  in  what  direction  you  have  gone?" 

"I  expect  him  to  do  what  I'd  do  for  him,"  retorted 
(Meyer.  "I'd  follow  him  on  foot,  to  the  seaside,  beg- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  15! 

ging  my  way;  I'd  work  my  passage  before  the  mast 
on  any  vessel  that  was  going  to  a  port  where  I  guessed 
he  might  have  gone.  When  my  feet  became  too  sore 
to  walk  I'd  crawl  on  my  knees.  If  he  loves  me  less 
than  that  I'll  never  call  him  son  again.  He's  got  to 
find  me ;  and  he'll  do  k,  Marcus,  I  give  you  my  word, 
he'll  do  it !  I'm  going  to  Honolulu,  to  begin  with.  If 
he  loves  me  as  I  love  him  he'll  either  get  there  by  boat 
or  swim.  The  boy,"  he  added,  wiping  away  the  tears 
that  excess  of  emotion  had  brought  to  his  eyes,  "that 
you  said  was  a  crawling,  contemptible  wretch,  unfit 
to  lick  the  dust  off  my  sfaoes !" 

Lindes  and  Pyne  exchanged  glances  of  dismay.  The 
old  gentleman  had  dwelt  on  his  theme  until  he  was 
perilously  near  to  an  unbalanced  mind.  He  arose, 
tcok  up  his  stout  walking  stick,  and  striding  to  the 
door,  announced  that  it  was  time  for  lunch.  As  he 
siw  Lindes'  strange  expression  he  muttered  ill-natur- 
edly, "Oh,  I  know  the  way  to  the  hotel ;  you  can  come 
when  you're  ready."  And  he  went  out,  closing  the 
door  loudly  behind  him. 

"I've  got  myself  into  a  nice  scrape,  haven't  I  ?"  said 
Lindes  pressing  his  lips  tightly  together.  "Look  here, 
Pyne,  you  must  help  me  out  of  this.  Can't  you  let 
Carl  know  we've  gone  to  Honolulu  and  that  this 
thing  all  through  was  a  damnable  scheme?" 

"Why  don't  you  write  him  that  yourself?"  asked 
the  other,  coolly. 

"I'm  too  much  ashamed.  I  shall  have  to  meet  them 
both  for  the  rest  of  my  life  and  Peter's  reproaches  are 
all  I  shall  be  able  to  bear.  He'll  be  so  pleased  when 


152  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

he's  proved  me  an  imbecile  he  won't  hold  any  reai 
grudge  against  me,  but  the  boy's  made  of  different 
material.  He's  one  of  those  quiet  fellows  that  are 
terrible  when  aroused.  If  he  finds  out  bow  deep  I 
am  in  this  thing,  there'll  never  be  any  peace  for  me 
again." 

"I've  got  to  keep  faith  with  my  client,"  Pyne  re- 
marked, thoughtfully. 

''Make  me  a  client  and  keep  faith  with  me,"  cried 
Lindes,  with  eagerness.  "Carl  will  come  to  San  Fran- 
cisco beyond  doubt.  Get  into  communication  with 
him  and  let  him  know  where  we  are.  If  he's  not  got 
funds  to  travel  help  him  to  find  some.  I  tell  you,  man, 
if  this  isn't  cleared  up  soon  Peter  Meyer  will  be  in 
an  asylum,  a  raving  maniac.  And  any  harm  that 
happens  to  him  will  be  on  my  conscience  for  an  idiotic, 
meddling  old  dummkopf!" 

Mr.  Pyne  still  seemed  to  have  doubts  as  to  whether 
he  could  reconcile  his  ideas  of  the  fealty  he  owed  Mr. 
Meyer  with  the  plan  outlined ;  but  when  Lindes  placed 
two  bills  on  his  desk,  each  of  the  denomination  of  one 
hundred  dollars,  he  went  so  far  as  to  say  he  would 
think  about  it  and  serve  him  as  well  as  he  could 
"in  fairness  and  honor."  Later  in  the  day  he  succeed- 
ed in  gaining  Meyer's  consent  that  he  should  give 
Carl  a  hint  where  he  had  gone,  sending  Peter  word 
in  season  for  him  to  double  on  his  tracks  if  he  wished 
to  prolong  the  hunt.  Meyer  admitted,  on  having  the 
case  presented  to  him  again,  that  his  idea  of  swimming 
a  couple  of  thousand  miles  was  rather  visionary  and 
that  few  modern  vessels  wanted  green  hands  before 
the  mast. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  153 

It  was  agreed,  moreover,  that  Pyne  might  aid  the 
young  fellow  to  a  small  amount  of  cash  if  he  thought 
wise.  The  detective  was  thus  enabled  to  satisfy  both 
his  new  client  and  his  conscience,  which  it  must  be 
conceded  is  a  nice  thing  for  a  man  in  his  line  of  busi- 
ness to  do. 

But  the  luck  which  had  come  to  the  firm  of  Maple 
&  Pyne  did  not  end  even  here.  While  the  Meyer  matter 
was  moving  along  smoothly  a  letter  was  received  from 
the  Sugar  King  of  Honolulu  asking  that  a  trustworthy 
representative  of  the  firm  be  sent  to  him  on  a  matter  of 
importance.  It  was  considered  best,  considering  the 
financial  station  of  the  applicant,  to  entrust  this  mis- 
sion to  no  less  a  person  than  Mr.  Maple,  who  accord- 
ingly took  passage  without  delay  for  the  Paradise  of  the 
Pacific.  Perhaps  no  better  way  of  learning  the  result  of 
his  mission  can  be  obtained  than  looking  over  Mr. 
Pyne's  shoulder  (begging  that  gentleman's  pardon  for 
the  liberty)  and  reading  his  transcription  of  a  commun- 
ication which  his  partner  sent  him  some  days  after 
reaching  Honolulu. 

My  dear  Pyne  (said  this  letter)  :  The  matter  on  which 
Mr.  X.  sent  for  me  is  a  rather  peculiar  one.  It  seems 
that  his  wife  is  about  to  start  on  a  trip  afound  the 
world,  with  his  son,  aged  20,  and  his  daughter,  aged 
21.  Mr.  X.  and  his  good  lady  have  widely  different 
views  on  many  subjects,  notably  in  reference  to  the 
marriage  prospects  of  their  daughter  and  son,  the 
former  especially.  The  wife  is  determined  to  wed 
the  young  lady  to  nothing  less  than  a  duke,  thus  daz- 
zling the  social  set  of  Honolulu  and  compelling  it  to 
forget  her  own  origin,  which  was  decidedly  humble. 


154  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

The  husband  has  old-fashioned  notions  that  sudh1 
matters  should  be  influenced  by  love;  that  "True 
hearts  are  more  than  coronets"  as  Tennyson  remark- 
ed some  years  before  he  accepted  the  title  of  Baron. 

To  make  my  story  short,  X.  wishes  me  to  send  a 
representative  with  his  party,  introduced  in  such  a 
manner  that  he  will  not  be  open  to  suspicion.  Hav- 
ing thought  the  matter  over,  I  have  concluded  that  Y. 
will  about  fill  the  bill  and  shall  so  direct.  The  young 
Nephew  of  his  uncle  has  also  been  engaged  by  a  mem- 
ber of  the  party,  a  Rev.  Eli  Lovejoy,  as  his  pfivate 
secretary  and  may  be  relied  upon  to  aid  if  required. 
The  others  who  are  to  go  include  a  Mr.  Somerset 
Loring,  from  England,  and  possibly  a  Capt.  Thorn 
and  his  sister  Olive,  from  the  United  States.  Also 
a  Mrs.  Caroline  Young  and  her  two  children,  Angel 
(a  boy)  and  Seraph  (a  girl).  It  is  as  yet  uncertain 
whether  the  Thorns  will  go,  but  I  think  it  probable. 

The  loss  of  his  uncle  still  keeps  the  Nephew  in  a 
state  of  depression,  but  I  hear  it  would  be  useless  to 
approach  him  just  yet  with  reference  to  the  estiate. 
As  soon  as  Z.  has  secured  a  decision  of  the  court  that 
the  property  is  his  we  must  have  the  information 
conveyed  to  him  gently. 

Please  write  by  each  steamer  and  I  will  do  tihe 
same.  X.  has  paid  me  a  retainer  of  $1000.  If  you 
have  any  suspicions  about  Q.  you  had  best  see  thait 
K.  is  set  right. 

Yours  &c.  MAPLE. 

Now,  Mr.  Maple,  being  a  very  careful  man,  (as  is 
becoming  in  a  detective)  did  not  send  even  this  am- 
biguous letter  in  the  language  in  which  it  is  render- 
ed here.  It  was  written  in  a  cypher,  of  which  his 
partner  alone  had  the  key,  and  it  took  Mr.  Pyne  the 
better  part  of  an  hour  to  translate  it.  When  he  had 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  155 

done  so  a  contented  expression  stole  over  his  count- 
enance. He  mused  for  some  time  before  he  wrote  his 
reply,  which  was  also  in  cypher,  but  much  briefer  than 
Mr.  Maple's  letter. 

If  you  find  the  hunting  satisfactory  among  the 
islands  (he  wrote)  there  is  no  reason  you  should 
hurry  back.  It  might  be  a  good  idea  to  break  in  a  pup 
or  two  if  you  have  a  chance. 

Let  us  now  return  for  a  few  moments  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  party  preparing  to  cross  the  ocean.  Mr. 
Loring  was  troubled  for  some  time  at  the  prospect 
that  Capt.  Thorn  would  be  one  of  the  number,  feel- 
ing that  his  opportunities  for  tete-a-tetes  with  Miss 
Amy  would  be  much  lessened  by  the  presence  of  the 
lively  and  dashing  American.  He  was  highly  grati- 
fied, therefore,  a  week  before  starting,  to  learn  that 
Thorn's  business  interests  would  not  permit  his  leav- 
ing Honolulu  at  present.  Mr.  Loring  had  been  a  dis- 
turbed witness  of  Miss  Amy's  enthusiasm  when  the 
Captain  said  definitely  that  Olive  might  go. 

"You  are  a  perfect  darling!"  she  had  cried,  grasp- 
ing both  of  Thorn's  hands.  "I  have  a  notion  to  kiss 
you,  you  dear  good  fellow.  I  would  do  it,  too,"  she 
added,  in  response  to  the  challenge  that  shown  in  his 
laughing  eyes,  "If — you  wasn't  a  man — there !  " 

"Oh !  "  said  Capt.  Thorn,  smiling  at  her  ingenious 
statement.  "Then  perhaps  you  won't  mind  giving  it 
to  Olive,  just  to  keep  it  in  the  family." 

Amy  threw  her  arms  around  Miss  Thorn's  neck  and 
paid  the  penalty  with  gusto.  Capt.  Thorn  had  gained 


156  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

a  certain  momentary  a'dvantage  over  his  rival,  if  eitHer, 
of  them  might  by  any  straining  of  words  be  said  to 
occupy  that  position.  However,  Mr.  Loring  reflected, 
weeks  and  months  passed  together  should  more  than 
compensate  for  this ;  and  he  consoled  himself  with  the 
prospect  that  such  incidents  would  soon  become  im- 
possible. 

Having  a  sister  who  had  been  adopted  as  Amv's 
dearest  friend  was  something,  though,  that  might  tell 
against  him,  and  must  be  met  with  strong  play. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ON   THE   STEAMER    COPTIC. 

IT  was  on  the  Steamer  Coptic  that  the  party  sailed 
for  Yokohama,  and  surely  no  better  managed  boat 
ever  carried  passengers  across  the  broad  Pacific.  From 
captain  to  chief  steward  each  officer  with  whom  our 
friends  came  in  contact  did  his  very  best  to  make  the 
voyage  agreeable. 

It  was  in  what  is  generally  called  the  dull  season  and 
besides  those  with  whom  our  story  has  to  deal  there 
were  few  passengers  worthy  of  special  mention.  All 
of  the  adults  were  placed  at  one  table,  while  Mrs. 
Young's  infants  took  their  meals  at  the  separate  hour 
reserved  for  those  of  their  years.  Carl  would  have 
been  glad  £o  have  been  seated  elsewhere,  but  he  was 
under  Mr.  Lovejoy's  directions  and  did  as  he  was  bid- 
den. He  tried  to  master  the  sentiments  which  he 
dreaded  anyone  should  suspect  and  his  excessive  taci- 
turnity served  him  in  good  stead. 

Mrs.  Van  Steuben,  in  her  aristocratic  way,  thought 
the  young  man's  reticence  highly  becoming  to  him. 
His  position  was  one  which  did  not  call  for  partici- 
pation in  the  general  conversation.  She  reproved 
Billy  several  times,  after  meals,  for  asking  "Mr.  Love- 
joy's  secretary"  for  his  opinion  about  matters  which 
did  not  particularly  concern  him.  But  her  son  re- 


158  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

plied  flippantly  that  he  guessed  Muller  was  as  good 
as  the  rest  of  them,  even  if  he  did  have  to  earn  his 
living  through  a  piece  of  bad  luck. 

"I  must  ask  you  to  have  a  little  higher  regard  for 
my  wishes,"  protested  the  lady.  "Amy  watches  every- 
thing you  do  and  is  inclined  to  imitate  vour  indis- 
cretions." 

"Amy  would  pay  about  as  much  attention  to  what 

I  did "  Billy  started  to  say  "as  she  would  to 

what  you  thought"  but  checked  himself  in  time.  He 
did  not  mean  to  be  unfilial  in  his  speech.  "I  can't  sit 
at  the  table  with  a  good  sort  of  fellow  like  him  and  act 
as  if  I  thought  him  a  doormat,  mother.  He's  been 
well  brought  up  and  only  a  miserable  accident  keeps 
him  at  this  moment  from  belonging  to  What  you  would 
call  'our  class.' " 

It  was  Mrs.  Van's  usual  way,  when  any  argument 
was  prolonged,  to  cease  from  continuing  it  verbally. 
She  heaved  a  slight  sigh,  which  said  in  effect  that  if 
people  would  talk  nonsense  she  could  not  stop  them, 
and  seeing  Mrs.  Young  approaching,  turned  her  at- 
tention to  her.  That  lady  brought  the  interesting  in- 
formation that  a  party  of  three  young  Japanese,  who 
formed  a  group  by  themselves,  were  titled  gentlemen 
and  stood  very  high  among  the  nobility  of  Japan. 

"They  are  returning  to  their  own  country  after  some 
years  in  Europe,"  she  said.  "Mr.  Richgood,  the  pur- 
ser, says  they  speak  English  with  perfect  fluency.  The 
one  nearest  us  is  the  Marquis  of  Maebashi  and  very 
rich.  The  one  next  to  him  is  the  Count  of  Kobe  and 
the  other  one  is  Baron  of  Nagasaki.  They  are  all 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  159 

graduates  of  Oxford  University  and  are  returning  to 
take  their  seats  in  the  House  of  Lords." 

Mrs.  Van,  to  use  a  slang  phrase,  "pricked  up  her 
ears,"  and  was  all  attention. 

"Why,"  she  exclaimed,  "I  didn't  know  there  was  a 
House  of  Lords  in  Japan.  Is  it  like  the  one  in  Eng- 
land, with  dukes  and  that  sort  of  thing?" 

"I  believe  so.  Japan  is  now  one  of  the  great  powers 
and  I  presume  her  nobility  ranks  with  that  of  Europe 
in  every  way." 

Mrs.  Van  was  in  a  decided  flutter.  She  lost  no  time 
in  asking  Mr.  Richgood  to  present  her  to  these  dis- 
tinguished strangers,  to  whom  an  hour  before  she 
would  not  have  dreamed  of  vouchsafing:  so  much  as 
a  nod.  The  purser  said  he  would  try  to  arrange  the 
matter,  but  understood  that  the  Orientals  were  in- 
clined to  maintain  their  seclusion  during  the  voyage. 
With  a  little  diplomacy  perhaps  he  could  accomplish 
what  the  lady  desired.  He  added  considerablv  also  to 
her  stock  of  information  respecting  the  strangers. 

In  the  meantime  Billy  had  already  got  on  friendly 
terms  with  the  young  men.  They  were  evidently  travel- 
ling incognito,  for  tfiey  were  registered  on  the  pas- 
senger list  as  Messrs.  Kato  and  Kaito  and  Kitto.  While 
they  did  not  attempt  to  put  on  the  slightest  airs,  they 
were  very  reticent,  replying  to  all  remarks,  in  an  ultra- 
English  accent,  with  "Ya-as?"  or  "Rea'l-ly!"  and 
smoked  cigarettes  without  cessation.  They  talked  to 
each  other  in  their  native  tongue  a  great  deal,  but 
when  questioned  in  relation  to  Japan  answered  that 
they  had  been  abroad  so  long  they  knew  very  little 


l6o  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

about  it.  However,  Billy,  who  was  not  a  youth  to  be 
easily  "bluffed,"  had  already  managed  to  get  on  pleas- 
ant terms  with  them  and  when  his  mother  breathlessly 
revealed  what  she  had  heard  he  remarked  that  he 
would  make  the  introductions  himself,  if  the  chance 
came  in  his  way. 

"Only  please  don't  kneel  down  on  the  floor  to  them," 
he  begged.  "Hawaii  is  annexed  to  the  United  States 
now — or  pretty  nearly  so — and  that  makes  us  all 
Americans  and  all  sovereigns.  I  consider  myself  j«st 
as  good  as  any  count  or  baron  living." 

"But  a  markee — that's  a  very  high  rank  indeed, 
William.  I  think  it  comes  next  in  order  to  a  duke." 

"Pshaw!  Father's  got  a  thousand  of  'em  cutting 
sugar  on  his  plantation !  The  time  for  titles  is  past. 
The  best  thing  about  these  fellows  is  thev  don't  put 
on  any  lugs.  If  they  were  to  try  it  with  me,  I'd  soon 
take  it  out  of  'em,"  he  added,  savagely. 

The  tired  look  which  he  understood  so  well  came 
into  his  mother's  face  and  Billy  withdrew.  A  little 
later  Amy,  who  had  been  talking  with  a  group  of 
young  people  in  the  saloon,  came  up  and  Mrs.  Van 
asked  her  if  she  knew  there  was  a  "whole  royal  family" 
on  board. 

"Well,  it  amounts  almost  to  the  same  thing,"  she 
said,  when  the  girl's  eyes  were  stretched  to  their  ut- 
most. "There's  a  markee,  whose  father  was  born  a 
prince  and  whose  grandfather  was  just  like  a  king  in 
one  of  the  biggest  provinces  in  Jaoan  till  he  was 
patriotic  enough  to  surrender  his  rights  to  the  em- 
peror. The  father  is  still  one  of  the  richest  men  in 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  IOI 

the  country  and  has  been  master  of  ceremonies  at 
court." 

"This  is  the  chance  you've  been  looking  for,"  cried 
Amy,  laughing.  "Do  you  want  me  to  set  my  cap 
for  the  marquis  ?" 

"My  dear,  I  wish  you  would  have  some  dignity." 

"I'm  going  to  try  it,"  laughed  the  mad,cap.  "  'March- 
ionness  of  Maebashi ! '  Doesn't  that  sound  swell !  Much 
better  than  'Countess  of  Kobe,'  I'm  sure.  It  wouldn't 
do  for  the  daughter  of  a  King — a  Sugar  King,  ha,  ha ! 
— to  lower  herself  to  that  level." 

"My  child,  I  entreat  you !  "  cried  the  mother,  fearful 
that  the  gentlemen  who  were  the  subjects  of  this  badi- 
nage might  overhear  the  remarks  through  the  smokiner 
room  windows,  which  were  very  near  and  wide  open. 

"But  these  chances  are  not  thrown  in  a  ooor  eirl's 
way  every  day,"  presisted  her  daughter,  lowering  her 
voice  to  a  whisper  and  pretending  to  be  very  much  in 
earnest.  "You  wouldn't  let  me  try  for  Prince  Daniel 
Of  Hawaii " 

"Prince  Daniel  is — is  dark,"  interrupted  the  mother. 
"And  what  is  more  to  the  point,  the  throne  has  been 
taken  away  from  his  family." 

"If  it  hadn't  been  you'd  have  liked  to  have  me  marry 
him,  wouldn't  you  ?  You'd  rather  have  seen  me  crown- 
ed 'Queen  of  Honolulu,'  like  the  girl  in  the  song,  than 
to  have  me  marry  some  nice,  sensible  man  of  no  rank 
and  perhaps  no  fortune?  And  you'd  be  very  proud 
•when  I  rode  out  in  my  state  carriage,  with  a  dozen — 
more  or  less — of  molasses-colored  pickaninnies " 

"This  is  beyond  all  reason !  I  shall  not  stay  to  listen 
to  such  unmaidenly  remarks !  " 


1 62  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

And  while  Amy  doubled  herself  up  with  laughter  at 
the  picture  she  had  drawn  her  mother  stalked  off  to 
the  other  end  of  the  deck. 

Immediately  a  red-headed  boy  peered  around  the 
corner  of  the  cabin  and  grinned  fiendishly  at  the 
young  lady. 

"That  was  a  good  one  you  give  'er,"  he  remarked, 
with  frank  approval.  "Niggers  and  Japs  and  Chinee- 
men  ain't  for  white  gals  to  git  thick  with." 

Amy  surveyed  the  freckled  face  with  amusement. 

"Your  name  is  Angel,  isn't  it?"  she  asked.  "Angel 
Young?" 

"M — ni,"  he  assented. 

"Got  any  other  name?" 

"Gabriel." 

"Angel  Gabriel !  Whatever  put  it  into  your  mother's 
head  to  give  you  that  combination?" 

"Dunno,"  said  the  boy.  "Don't  you  like  it  ?  'Cause 
if  you  just  mention  it  probably  she'll  have  it  changed." 

Miss  Van  Steuben  tried  to  look  severe. 

"Don't  be  too  smart,  little  boy,"  she  replied.  "I 
might  take  a  notion  to  put  you  across  my  knee  and 
spank  you." 

He  looked  as  solemn  as  she.  "You  wouldn't  do 
that,"  he  said. 

"Why  not?" 

"It  wouldn't  be  doing  as  you'd  be  done  by.  You're 
a  Christian,  ain't  you?" 

"I  trust  so."    Amy  spoke  now  quite  free  from  levity. 

"So's  ma,  and  so's  Eli." 

"Who?"  cried  Amy,  startled. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  163 

"Old  man  Lovejoy,"  answered  the  boy,  with  a  erie- 
gle.  "They're  both  Christians,  but  they  don't  like 
each  other  for  a  cent,  just  the  same.  You  never  seen 
'em  purring  together  in  a  corner  of  the  deck  'when 
the  lights  are  dim  and  low,'  and  you  won't  neither. 
Ma's  never  spoken  to  him  since  we've  started.  I  don't 
know  what  the  trouble  is,  but  I  expect  some  day  you'll 
see  the  fur  fly." 

Another  freckled  face  and  head  of  red  hair  aooeared 
suddenly  on  the  scene.  Perhaps  it  would  be  more  cor- 
rect to  say  gradually,  since  the  owner's  movements 
were  rather  sinuous  than  precipitate. 

"This  is  your  sister,  I  suppose,"  said  Amy,  glad  to 
alter  the  subject.  "Her  name  is  Seraph,  I  believe? 
Has  she  any  middle  name?" 

"No,"  squeaked  the  little  girl,  speaking  for  herself, 
like  a  talking  doll.  "Ma  said  there  wa'n't  no  other 
word  in  the  language  to  express  it." 

"You  must  have  been  a  very  beautiful  baby,"  said 
Amy,  with  a  smile. 

"Yes ;  just  the  same  as  now." 

There  was  a  yell  of  sudden  pain,  not  from  Seraph 
but  from  her  brother ;  for  she  had  taken  the  opportuni- 
ty while  'his  attention  was  fixed  on  other  things  to  in- 
sert a  pin  in  his  flesh.  Angel  started  to  box  the  cul- 
prit's ears;  she  dodged  and  left  the  wall  of  the  cabin 
to  receive  the  blow  instead.  There  was  a  muttered 
exclamation  and  a  chase,  but  the  girl  eluded  her  pur- 
suer. 

While  Angel  was  hunting  for  her  in  another  part 
&f  the  boat,  his  hand  still  smarting,  Mrs.  Young  emerg- 


164  A  SUGAR  fRINCISS. 

ed  from  a  passageway  with  Seraph  clinging  to  fier 
skirts. 

"Have  you  a  headache,  darling ! "  said  the  mother's 
voice.  "Get  up  in  my  lap  and  see  if  I  can't  rub  it 
away." 

She  took  a  chair  near  Amy's  and  lifted  the  child, 
who  laid  her  face  against  the  maternal  bosom  and 
closed  her  eyes.  "She  suffers  dreadfully  from  head- 
aches," exclaimed  Mrs.  Young  to  the  astonished  Miss 
Van  Steuben.  "Go  away  at  once,"  she  continued,  in 
a  stage  whisper,  as  she  saw  her  son  aooroachinsr 
stealthily.  "I'm  trying  to  get  Seraph  to  sleep  and 
you  must  not  disturb  her." 

"I've  got  something  that  belongs  to  her,"  remark- 
ed the  boy,  sidling  nearer.  "Just  a  common,  ordinary 
pin  I've  no  further  use  for." 

Seraph  nearly  wriggled  out  of  her  mother's  arms 
in  her  anxiety  to  escape  the  stab  she  had  good  reason 
to  expect.  Mrs.  Young  caught  hold  of  her  son's  arm 
and  held  him  gently  away. 

"There,  you've  woke  her  up !  "  she  exclaimed.  "Go 
away  and  be  a  good  boy." 

As  Angel  sulkily  obeyed,  unwillingly  postponing  his 
revenge,  she  added,  raising  her  eyes  solemnly,  "Chil- 
dren are  a  great  blessing,  Miss  Van  Stuben,  but  they 
are  a  great  care,  too." 


A  SUGAR  1'RINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

A  DAY  IN  YOKOHAMA. 

THE  first  view  of  Yokohama  filled  all  the  Coptic's 
passengers  with  excitement.  The  steamer  arrived 
very  early  in  the  morning  and  those  who  had  been 
there  before  did  their  best  to  convince  the  others  that 
the  summit  of  Fujiyama  was  to  be  seen  in  the  distance. 
The  handsome  buildings  stretching  along  the  Bund, 
as  the  water  street  is  called,  together  with  the  stately 
homes  of  wealthy  residents  on  the  Bluff  gave  the  town 
a  most  inviting  appearance. 

As  soon  as  the  steam  launch  of  the  Grand  Hotel 
could  be  freighted  with  their  baggage  all  of  our 
friends  were  taken  without  delay  to  that  house.  The 
porter  was  left  to  struggle  with  the  customs  officials, 
the  keys  having  been  given  up  to  him  in  the  sensible 
fashion  most  travellers  now  adopt.  It  surprised  every- 
body to  discover  such  a  comfortable  and  modern  hotel 
in  this  part  of  the  world,  with  little  except  the  Japanese 
servants  to  suggest  that  it  was  not  in  Florida  or  Cali- 
fornia. The  breakfast  was  found  to  be  good  and  the 
rooms  airy  and  commodious. 

As  is  always  the  case  with  arrivals  from  the  States, 
who  have  never  seen  a  jinricksha  before,  the  first  thing 
after  breakfast  was  a  ride  in  those  comfortable  and 
peculiar  conveyances.  Amy  and  her  brother  could 


l66  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

hardly  wait  till  the  meal  was  over.  The  others  were 
naturally  -more  sedate,  except  the  children,  who  deaf- 
ened everybody  with  loud  cries  and  interminable  ques- 
tions. 

It  was  left  to  Carl  by  common  consent  to  make  the 
necessary  arrangements.  But  when  the  required  num- 
ber of  'ricksha-men  had  responded  to  his  call,  Mrs. 
Van  Steuben  was  seized  with  a  fear  that  the  vehicles 
did  not  comport  sufficiently  with  the  dignity  of  a  lady 
"in  her  position."  She  asked  Mr.  Lovejoy  if  it  would 
not  be  better  for  her  to  order  a  carriage  into  which 
she  could  invite  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Young  and  him. 
Before  the  clergyman  could  answer,  several  ladies 
came  out  of  the  hotel  and  were  whirled  away  at  full 
speed  by  their  two-footed  horses,  without  even  an  es- 
cort. Amy  was  seated  already  in  one  of  the  "baby- 
carts,"  as  she  called  them,  with  Billy  and  Olive  near, 
and  shouted  that  she  was  impatient  to  be  off. 

"Here,  Mr.  Muller,  come  with  us ! "  she  called.  "If 
the  others  ever  get  their  minds  made  up  Mr.  Lovejoy 
can  look  after  them.  You  can  spare  Mr.  Muller  can't 
you?"  she  said  to  the  minister.  "I  am  just  crazy  to 
know  how  it  feels  to  ride  through  the  streets  in  this 
thing." 

Mrs.  Van  Steuben  remonstrated  in  a  shocked  tone 
at  the  manner  of  her  daughter's  address  and  finally 
turned  to  Carl  in  her  perplexity. 

"Is  it  quite  right — quite  proper,  for  a  lady — of  my 
age?"  she  asked. 

"Certainly,"  he  answered.  "You  will  meet  a  hun- 
dred others  in  similar  carriages.  In  fact,  it  is  the 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  l6? 

vehicle  use3  by  nine-tenths  of  the  foreign  residents 
of  both  sexes.  After  a  moment  the  novelty  will  wear 
off  and  you  will  find  it  delightful." 

"Come,  Amy,"  called  out  Billy,  "  let's  make  a  start. 
We  can't  stay  here  all  day  waiting  for  them." 

Off  went  the  trio,  giving  joyful  little  cries  as  they  pro- 
ceeded through  the  queer  streets.  When  they  came 
to  a  large  market  nothing  would  do  but  the  girls  must 
alight  and  inspect  the  vegetables  and  fish.  Billy  did 
not  see  the  fun  in  that  sort  of  thing,  but  humored  them 
good-naturedly.  They  all  paddled  along  the  stalls, 
over  the  sloppy  earth  floors,  on  which  streams  of  water 
were  flowing  from  the  counters.  The  fish  department 
interested  Amy  most  of  any.  She  utter  many  exclama- 
tions at  the  long  eels  and  other  queer  specimens  of  the 
fishy  tribe  that  were  swimming  about  in  tubs  and 
barrels. 

"What  a  set  of  murderers  we  are ! "  she  remarked, 
thoughtfully,  as  she  watched  a  dealer  grab  a  fish  from 
his  bath  and  prepare  him  for  the  frying-pan  with  well- 
directed  slashes  of  a  big  knife.  "We're  always  killing 
and  eating  something  that  has  as  much  right  to  its 
existence  as  we.  If  I  stay  here  much  longer  I  shall 
become  a  vegetarian." 

Ducks,  geese  and  chickens  were  being  suddenly  cut 
off  in  their  prime — some  of  them  perhaps  a  little  be- 
yond it — in  the  next  department.  Hearing  suggestive 
squawks  and  blows,  Amy  and  Olive  started  to  run 
back  to  their  'rickshas,  with  skirts  carefully  held  out 
of  the  mud.  Billy  delayed  a  little  longer  to  inspect  a 
fish  that  he  had  never  seen  the  like  of  before  and  when 


l68  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Amy  reached  her  vehicle  she  found  Carl  Muller  stand- 
ing beside  it. 

"Your  mother  concluded  I  had  best  come  to  you," 
he  explained.  "She  insists  that  you  are  too  young  to 
go  around  unattended  in  this  strange  city." 

"But,"  stammered  the  girl,  "we  have  Billy " 

"I  think,"  he  replied,  smiling  a  little,  "she  does  not 
consider  you  quite  a  sufficient  chaperon  for  him." 

"In  that  case  how  can  I  charge  myself  with  the  duty 
of  caring  for  two  of  you?" 

He  laughed  at  that.  She  was  glad  to  see  a  smile  on 
a  face  generally  so  sober.  The  shadow  of  the  disap- 
pearance of  Peter  Meyer  in  that  awful  eruption  at 
Mauna  Loa  seldom  lifted. 

"Where  is  Mr.  Loring?"  asked  Olive.  "With  the 
others?" 

"Yes,  they  have  gone  off  in  the  opposite  direction. 
We  can  soon  overtake  them,"  he  said,  directing  his 
words  to  Miss  Amy. 

She  looked  him  full  in  the  eyes  and  asked  why  he 
thought  she  wanted  to  overtake  Mr.  Loring. 

"If  we  were  with  them,"  he  said,  lamely,  "the  party 
would  all  be  together." 

"That's  exactly  what  I  don't  want.  There's  a  con- 
trary vein  in  me  that  makes  me  hate  any  sort  of  a 
beaten  track.  Do  you  know  what  would  delight  me 
above  all  things?  I'd  like  to  give  everybody  the  slip 
and  explore  this  beautiful  country  by  myself." 

"You  wouldn't  get  far,"  he  answered,  indulgently. 
"As  you  do  not  speak  the  language  you  would  have  to 
give  up  your  plan  in  about  an  hour." 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  169 

"But  you  understand  it,"  she  said,  regarding  him 

steadily. 

"Sufficient  for  practical  purposes." 

"Well,  that  would  answer.  I  didn't  mean  to  go  ab- 
solutely alone,  of  course.  I  meant,  it  would  be  a  nice 
thing  to  do  if — someone — who  can  talk  Japanese-- 
was to  go  with  me.  Well,  Billy,  I  hope  you've  been 
Jong  enough!" 

They  took  the  vehicles  again  and  the  coolies  looked 
up  to  see  what  direction  they  were  to  go.  Amy  said 
to  her  brother,  in  a  half-sulky  way,  that  Mr.  Muller 
thought  they  ought  to  join  the  rest  of  their  party, 
and,  as  it  made  no  difference  to  him,  he  nodded  an 
assent.  Taking  this  for  an  agreement  on  that  question, 
Carl  directed  the  men  to  turn  about.  Other  coolies 
were  asked  as  they  trotted  past  where  the  foreigners 
from  the  Grand  Hotel  were,  and  they  soon  found  them, 
a  little  way  out  into  the  country. 

With  his  usually  slow  brain  Carl  had  not  at  once 
caught  the  full  significance  of  Miss  Van  Steuben's 
suggestion  as  to  a  journey  into  the  interior.  When  it 
came  to  him  his  breath  grew  shorter  and  his  head  felt 
faint.  What  a  dream  it  would  be,  to  take  that  lovely 
being,  under  his  protection,  through  the  wonderful 
scenery  of  the  mountain  regions,  guiding  her  to  the 
grandest  views,  watching  her  bright  eyes  open  with 
wonder  as  the  magnificent  panorama  unfolded!  No 
one  there  to  witness  her  delight  but  he,  no  one  else 
on  whom  she  could  rely  for  direction  and  care ! 

And  then,  almost  as  soon  as  the  picture  had  out- 
lined itself,  it  dissolved. 


170  A  StTiGAR  PRINCESS. 

Madness !  mere  madness.  When  would  he  learn  that 
he  was  a  poor  travelling  companion  to  Mr.  Lovejoy 
and  that  she  was  the  daughter  of  the  richest  Hawaiian 
planter?  When  would  he  realize  that  the  difference 
between  them  was  greater  than  that  between  Japan 
and  her  island  home  across  the  Pacific? 

In  speaking  of  taking  him  as  her  sole  escort  he 
believed  Miss  Van  Steuben  had  revealed  to  the  full  the 
place  he  occupied  in  her  mind.  He  was  to  her  merely 
a  servant — something  a  little  better  educated  and 
intelligent,  perhaps,  but  no  more  to  be  regarded  than 
the  coolies  who  would  draw  her  'ricksha  or  lead  her 
pony.  If  this  were  not  the  case  she  would  not  talk 
to  him  like  that. 

When  the  party  returned  to  the  hotel  for  lunch  Mrs. 
Van  Steuben  voted  the  'ricksha  ride  a  success.  She 
had  seen  enough  other  ladies  in  the  same  sort  of 
vehicle  to  relieve  her  from  worry  on  the  score  of  pro- 
priety. To  be  sure,  it  was  impossible  that  many  of 
them  could  hold  quite  as  high  a  position  in  life  as  she 
did ;  that  lot  was  given  to  but  few  mortals ;  but  she  was 
satisfied  that  she  had  done  nothing  outre*  from  the 
standpoint  of  Yokohama  Mrs.  Grundyism. 

In  the  course  of  the  ride  they  had  met  the  Marquis 
of  Maebash:  and  his  friends  (to  whom  she  had  never 
succeeded,  by  the  way,  in  being  introduced)  and  she 
had  bowed  with  becoming  dignity  when  the  gentle- 
men formally  lifted  their  hats.  They  could  not  have 
been  ten  days  on  the  Coptic  without  knowing  "who  she 
was."  And  the  lady  congratulated  herself  on  this 
primary  entrance  into  the  exclusive  circles  of  foreign 
nobility. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

The  main  difficulty  during  the  ride  had  been  tc 
suppress  within  reasonable  limits  the  noisy  demonstra- 
tions of  Mrs.  Young's  charming  children.  The  satis- 
fied air  with  which  the  mother  heard  their  shouts  and 
witnessed  their  pranks,  even  exceeded' the  disgust  on 
the  faces  of  the  others.  The  children  made  common 
cause  whenever  opportunity  availed  against  poor  Mr. 
Lovejoy,  apparently  on  the  ground  that  he, was  a  natur- 
al and  eminent  enemy  of  their  family,  though  what 
he  had  done  to  deserve  this  treatment  did  not  in  the 
least  appear.  It  was  a  sight  to  witness  the  soft  smile 
with  which  he  met  their  most  impertinent  sallies  and 
the  courteous  way  in  which  he  tried  to  parry  or  to  an- 
swer their  questions. 

An  idolatrous  temple  which  the  party  visited  set 
Master  Angel  wild  with  delight.  He  entered  with  the 
others,  staring  with  wide-open  mouth  at  the  grotesque 
images  before  whom  a  dozen  worshippers  were  pros- 
trate. 

"  What  a  lot  of  blind  people  there  are  in  this  coun- 
try !  "  remarked  Amy,  in  a  low  tone. 

"What  did  you  expect?"  Angel  demanded.  "Don't 
you  know  your  hymnbook :  'The  heathen  in  their  blind- 
ness bow  down  to  wooden  stone/  Say,  what's  'wooden 
stone,'  anyway?" 

"I  think  you  mean  'wood  and  stone/ "  suggested 
Mrs.  Young,  pleasantly. 

"No,"  he  insisted,  "it's  'wooden  stone/  You  read 

it  that  way  on  Sunday  at  the  service,  didn't  you,  E , 

I  mean  Mr.  Lovejoy?  'Bow  down  to  wooden  stone,' 


172  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

yes,  sir!  Anyway,  there's  no  stone  here,  it's  all  wood. 
Perhaps  they  think  its  wooden  stone,  though,"  he 
added  reflectively,  "because  they're  blind." 

Then  he  gave  a  loud  yell,  caused  by  bringing  his 
head  into  collision  with  a  wooden  post.  Seraph  had 
made  a  pass  at  him  on  purpose  to  make  him  dodge 
and  receive  the  blow.  A  rush  across  the  room  on  his 
part  and  an  attempt  of  hers  to  escape  succeeded  this 
effort,  and  then  several  resounding  slaps  broke  the 
quiet  of  the  place. 

On  coming  out  of  the  temple  two  large  wooden 
gods  at  the  entrance  which  the  children  had  not  noticed 
before  claimed  their  united  attention.  These  images 
had  particularly  comical  faces  and  their  bodies  were 
nearly  covered  with  what  are  usually  called  "spit- 
balls"  and  which  I  do  not  know  how  to  describe  with 
any  more  delicate  term.  The  worshippers  of  these 
divinities  believe  the  most  effective  way  to  offer  their 
prayers  is  to  write  them  on  paper,  chew  them  up  and 
throw  the  wad  against  these  wooden  sides.  If  the 
missile  sticks  it  is  believed  the  petition  has  been  fav- 
orably received ;  if  it  falls  the  contrary  interpretation 
is  given  to  the  incident. 

Angel  and  Seraph  got  so  interested  in  pelting  these 
images  that  they  could  hardly  be  dragged  off  to  their 
'rickshas.  They  resisted  noisily  when  their  mother 
urged  them  to  hasten  and  finally  ended  with  another 
pugilistic  exhibition. 

"I'd  like  to  have  full  charge  of  those  infants  for 
an  hour,"  Amy  whispered  to  Mr.  Loring,  whose  vehi- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  1/3 

cle  was  nearest  to  hers.     "Just  for  one  brief,  glad 
hour!" 

The  smile  which  he  shot  back  in  response  to  this 
confidence  glanced  and  struck  Carl  Muller  full  in  the 
face.  He  had  not  heard  the  girl's  words  and  only  saw 
the  telegraphed  signal. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

AMY  WRITES  A  LETTER. 

MY  Darling  Popsie:  (So  wrote  Amy  Van  Steuben 
to  her  father) —  We  are  in  one  of  the  mountain  dis- 
tricts of  this  funny  country,  at  a  place  called  Kowak- 
odani,  and  at  a  hotel  bearing  the  delightful  name  of 
Mikawaya.  Our  entire  caravan  left  Yokohama  early 
in  the  morning  and  took  a  train  to  Kodzu,  transfer- 
ring to  the  queerest  tram  in  the  world  at  that  point. 
I  would  not  dare  say  how  many  times  the  car  got  off 
the  track  between  Kodzu  and  Yumoto,  where  the  line 
fortunately  ended,  but  I  think  it  must  have  been  a 
dozen.  The  Japanese  drivers  abuse  their  horses  shame- 
fully and  know  as  much  about  driving  as  I  do  about 
Sanscrit. 

The  getting  off  the  track  was  not  really  dangerous, 
but  mother  and  her  satellite  had  regular  fits  every  time 
it  occurred.  It  also  gave  Mrs.  Young's  sweet  chil- 
dren the  chance  of  their  lives  to  profess  fright  which 
it  was  easy  to  see  was  simulated  and  give  utterance 
to  screams.  Mrs.  Young  had  some  sharp  words  with 
the  driver  for  the  way  he  abused  his  beasts,  for  which 
she  only  got  laughed  at  by  the  saucy  fellow.  She 
appealed  to  the  gentlemen  to  make  the  man  stop 
whipping  the  animals,  which  he  always  did  merciless- 
ly as  soon  as  they  got  to  galloping  at  their  highest 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  175 

speed.  Mr.  Muller  tried  to  oblige  her,  though  he 
must  have  known  how  little  good  it  would  do,  but 
every  time  he  began  his  expostulations  the  car  ran  off 
the  track  again  and  everybody's  attention  was  monopo- 
lized by  the  attempts  to  get  it  back. 

When  this  disagreeable  experience  was  over  we  all 
got  into  'rickshas,  which  I  have  learned  to  like  im- 
mensely, and  with  two  coolies  for  each  vehicle  were 
dragged  four  or  five  miles  more  to  Myanoshita,  mostly 
up-hill,  but  through  a  charming  country.  The  coolies 
were  sturdy  fellows  who  looked  much  like  bronze  stat- 
ues in  their  scant  clothing.  Most  of  them  wore  noth- 
ing whatever — as  I'm  a  Christian! — but  a  towel  and 
sandals.  This  caused  mother  to  have  a  terrible  palpi- 
tation of  the  heart  and  made  her  Shadow  close  her 
eyes  in  despair.  Mrs.  Young,  please  understand, 
makes  a  point  of  feeling  exactly  like  your  esteemed 
wife  on  all  occasions,  a  line  of  conduct  that  has  en- 
deared her  to  mother  greatly.  It  wasn't  anything  we 
could  talk  about  to  the  gentlemen,  and  really  one  gets 
used  to  it  here,  so  we  went  on  without  remark.  They 
were  handsomely  built  fellows,  and  a  dark  skin  makes 
a  difference,  anyway. 

Arriving  at  the  Fuji-ya  Hotel  in  Myanoshita  we 
found  it  full  of  guests,  and  were  told  that  our  tele- 
gram had  been  answered  to  that  effect,  though  cer- 
tainly no  reply  had  been  received.  What  were  we  to 
do?  Carl  (of  course  I  refer  to  Mr.  Muller,  but  it 
seems  ridiculous  to  call  a  hired  man  'Mister')  told  us 
of  this  place,  only  a  mile  away.  He  said  it  was  nothing 
so  "swell"  as  the  Fuji-ya,  but  comfortable,  and  would 


176  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

at  least  give  us  a  chance  to  see  native  life.  I  voted  at 
once  in  favor  of  coming  here,  but  mother  scented  the 
fact  that  her  pretty  gowns  would  count  for  little  in 
such  a  place  and  was  reluctant  to  give  her  consent. 
However,  as  it  was  either  that  or  to  return  to  Yoko- 
hama by  the  awful  tram,  she  finally  gave  in. 

The  Mikawaya  Hotel  is  a  long  and  what  I  call  a 
picturesque  structure,  pleasantly  situated  on  high 
ground,  but  rather  plainer  in  its  accommodations  than 
the  Palace  at  San  Francisco.  In  fact,  there  isn't  the 
first  trace  of  luxury  in  it  from  one  end  to  theother.  Most 
of  the  apartments  are  occupied  by  Japanese  travellers, 
who  have  their  floors  covered  with  straw  matting, 
on  which  they  sit  all  day  and  sleep  all  night.  Such  a 
thing  as  a  chair  or  bedstead  is  unknown  to  their  method 
of  life.  A  little  mite  of  a  table  about  a  foot  higih 
is  the  only  furniture  they  use;  and  it's  excruciatingly 
funny  to  see  them  on  the  floor  in  front  of  it  with  their 
feet  tucked  under  them,  eating  rice  and  fish  with  "chop- 
sticks." which  they  handle  as  well  as  we  would  a  knife 
and  fork.  Each  guest  has  a  girl  servant,  looking  like 
a  pretty  doll,  who  kneels  in  front  of  him  and  attends 
to  every  want.  In  fact  all  the  Japanese  women  and 
children  seem  as  if  they  had  been  cut  out  of  pictures, 
averaging  much  prettier  than  the  ones  in  Honolulu, 
though  some  of  those,  you  know,  are  not  bad-looking 
either. 

When  mother  found  that  the  partitions  between  the 
rooms  were  made  of  paper  she  had  a  collapsej  declar- 
ing that  she  never  could  go  to  bed  in  the  house.  As 
in  duty  bound  Mrs.  Young  shook  her  sally  head  and 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  177 

parrotted  her  grief.  Later,  when  it  appeared  that 
mother  was  going  to  make  the  best  of  it,  her  new 
Shadow  made  the  best  of  it,  too. 

We  all  got  arranged  quite  comfortably  and  I  was 
delighted  with  the  whole  concern.  So  was  Billy;  in 
fact,  Billy  was  a  little  too  well  pleased,  if  anything. 
I  heard  mother  put  him  under  the  special  guardian- 
ship of  Carl — Mr.  Lovejoy's  man — >who  I  fear  does- 
n't realize  yet  what  a  responsibility  he  had  assumed. 
Billy  has  already  given  signs  of  one  of  his  violent  love 
affairs,  the  object  being  a  fat  little  doll  with  a  vacuous 
expression,  who  calls  herself  "Mitzu-san."  I  had  to 
caution  him  today  not  to  disgrace  us  before  the  gen- 
tkmen  in  the  party.  Mr.  Loring  came  within  an 
finch  of  seeing  him  with  his  mouth  altogether  too  near 
Mitzu's  cheek,  a  courtesy  that  young  minx  did  not 
seem  to  think  of  repelling.  As  they  say  the  Japs  never 
kiss,  I  don't  suppose  she  had  any  idea  whiat  it  all 
meant. 

The  table  here  is  plain — in  more  'sertses  than  one — 
though  the  Hhingts  are  good  and  wholesome.  The  bill 
of  fare  is  wirJtten  Jn  a  queer  sort  of  French,  though 
why  I  can't  see,  as  it  is  the  language  of  neither  the 
guests  nor  the  proprietor.  Each  item  is  numbered 
and  is  ordered  by  those  designatiorts.  I  have  already 
made  some  progress  in  the  vernacular  and  call  for 
"Ichi-ban,"  "Ni-ban,"  "San-ban,"  etc.  with  much 
pride.  Carl  knew  them  all  before  and  Mr.  Loring  is 
picking  them  up  slowly.  The  others  just  flounder 
around  and  have  to  be  helped  out  by  us  who  are  more 
erudite.  (I  hope  you  have  a  dictionary  bandy.) 


178  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

I  had  a  moment  of  real  alarm  yesterday.  I  met 
mother  in  one  of  the  hallways  and  found  her  in  a 
state  of  mind  you  can  imagine  wlhen  I  say  it  was  some 
seconds  before  she  could  utter  a  word.  When,  with 
Lisette's  assistance,  I  got  her  to  her  room 
and  upon  the  bed,  she  managed  to  tell  me  that  sihe 
had  happened  to  pass  one  of  the  bathrooms  when  the 
door  was  wide  open  and  had  seen  several  women  in 
very  neglige"  costumes.  There  is  a  hot  spring  near 
the  house  and  one  of  the  great  attractions  of  the 
hotel  is  its  numerous  interior  bathrooms  supplied  with 
this  water.  The  Japanese  have  no  idea  of  prudery 
and  the  doors  on  the  rooms  were  never  put  up  for 
their  benefit.  When  the  pretty  wife  of  our  proprietor 
and  some  of  her  lady  friendls  were  in  the  batih  and 
saw  mother  passing,  they  smiled  and  said  "Ohio!" 
wftiidh  means,  "Good-morning,"  without  a  thought 
that  there  was  anything  noteworthy  in  the  situation. 

Wlhen  I  heard  the  terrible  tale,  with  mother's  gasps 
for  breath,  I  tried  to  explain  the  matter  to  her,  but  she 
said  she  would  pack  up  and  leave  the  house  at  once. 

"  Imagine,"  she  screamed,  "  if  William  had  hap- 
pened to  pass  that  door ! " 

Well,  she  got  over  it,  and  we  are  still  staying  here. 
When  it  conies  to  a  vote  your  elder  child  is  gener- 
ally a  majority.  But  mother  isn't  happy  here  at  all 
and  I  suppose  we  shalll  have  to  change  soon.  For 
myself  I  never  liked  anything  better.  The  air  is 
salubrious,  the  scenery  fine,  the  baths  do  me  a  lot  of 
good  and  I  feel  like  a  young  colt.  What  do  you  think 
I  did  one  day?  I  walked  ttwelve  miles — yes,  sic, — 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  I/Q 

walked  all  the  way  from  here  to  Aslhinoyou  and  'back, 
over  a  terrible  road  at  that.  We  were  all  'going  to 
ride,  but  as  we  hadn't  notified  the  owner  of  the  horses 
a  month  in  advance  We  found  when  we  were  ready 
(that  we  couldn't  get  any  before  the  following  morn- 
ing. When  I  start  to  do  a  llhing  one  day  the  next  day 
wont  answer  at  all.  So  we  got  mother  into  a  litter 
(a  chair  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  coolies)  and  Mrs. 
Young  irtto  another  and  the  rest  of  us  walked,  all  but 
Mr.  Lovejoy,  who  volunteered  ito  remain  and  "amuse 
the  kids." 

In  the  language  of  California  "they  didn't  do  a 
t'ing  to  'im,"  either,  while  we  were  away. 

Imagine  mother  being  carried  by  those  coolies !  She 
had  had  some  experience  at  it  before,  so  she  was  not 
afraid,  butt  I  heard  her  request  her  spiritual  adviser 
to  be  sure  the  men's  clothing  was  of  a  proper  magni- 
tude and  for  once  OUT  blushes  were  spared.  I  walked 
behind  with  Mr.  Loring  part  of  the  way,  but  as  I 
feared  he  wanted  to  make  love  to  me,  I  kept  Carl  with 
us,  asking  him  su<ih  a  string  of  questions  about  the 
counftry  that  he  couldn't  escape.  It's  not  that  I  dis- 
like Mr.  Loring  particularly,  but  I  don't  fancy  com- 
plimentary remarks  in  the  society  faslhion.  And  then, 
as  he  is  not  a  Duke,  what  would  be  tfhe  use  in  leading 
him  on  to  a  declaration,  whidi  mother  would  never 
listen  to  for  an  instant.  (Please  smile.)  But,  as  I 
said,  I  -walked  the  whole  of  the  way  and  waisnt  a  bit 
tired  when  I  gdt  back.  In  fact  I  had  a  splendid  ap- 
petite for  dinner  and  slept  like  a  top  that  night. 

There  are  two  Englishmen  here —  a  Captain  Mod- 


l8o  A  SUGAR 

man  and  a  Mr.  Robinson — w<ho  have  Japanese  wives, 
real  truly  ones,  and  I  have  "met"  both  those  ladies. 
One  has  a  little  daughter  of  ten  with  the  same  name 
as  myself,  a  sprite  who  can  talk  the  language  of  her 
mamma  much  fa/ster  than  she  can  that  of  her  sire. 
The  other  has  a  round,  happy  faced  boy,  slightly 
younger,  named  David.  I  hear  that  the  mammas  have 
aUready  arranged  a  marriage  between  the  pair,  to  take 
place  a  dozen  years  later. 

In  -spite  of  mother's  protests  I  dined  with  Mrs.  R. 
one  day,  sitting  on  the  floor  and  trying  to  eat  with 
chop-sticks  exactly  as  she  did.  She  dines  in  her  own 
apartment  and  mother  was  afraid  some  of  the  strange 
thing's  would  injure  my  digestion.  I  managed  not  to 
laugih,  even  once,  though  the  expression  on  the  face 
of  her  "little  maid  from  school"  was  a  severe  strain 
on  my  gravity.  The  maid  evidently  thought  me  a 
grossly  ignorant  person;  and  judging  by  the  way  I 
let  the  rice  and  other  things  fall  between  the  dishes 
and  my  mouth  she  was  quite  justified  in  her  supposi- 
tion. 

Although  married  for  many  years  Mrs.  R.  has  nev- 
er succeeded  in  learning  English  enough  to  speak  it 
well,  her  husband  having  simplified  things  by  study- 
ing her  language  instead.  So  we  just  sat  there,  as 
Billy  would  say,  "like  two  Stoughton  bottles,"  and  con- 
sumed our  "chow."  It  was  great  fun  and  everything 
I  ate  agreed  with  me  perfeddy. 

I  say,  Popsie,  do  you  think  it  would  do  any  great  harm 
if  I  ran  away  from  this  pokey  crowd  for  a  few  days 
and  enjoyed  delightful  Japan  to  the  full  extent  of  my; 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  iSl 

young  heart?  I'd  just  like  to  get  on  a  party  and  give 
him  a  loose  rein  till  he  had  trotted  fifty  miles  away 
over  these  grand  hills.  It's  putting  moDher  to  positive 
pain  to  keep  her  up  here.  She  constantly  talks  of  go- 
ing to  Tokyo  or  some  "civilized"  section  of  the  country, 
and  that's  exactly  what  I  don't  want  to  do  at  all.  If 
only  I  can  persuade  Olive  to  run  off  with  me ! 

I've  tdd  you  before,  havent  I,  how  spiteful  Mrs. 
Young  is  toward  the  poor  minister  ?  OEie  and  mother 
and  I  have  talked  about  it  and  we  cannot  understand  it 
at  all.  We  asked  her  one  day  what  she  disliked  in 
him,  but  all  the  answer  we  got  was  a  shrug  of  the 
shoulders.  The  queer  thing  is  that  he  doesn't  seem 
to  realize  how  she  feels,  but  treats  her  invariably  with 
the  smirking  politeness  that  seems  a  pant  of  his  very 
being.  He's  the  most  absent-minded  of  men,  anyway. 
If  he  addresses  a  hundred  remarks  to  Mrs.  Young, 
and  she  turns  her  face  the  other  way  every  time  with 
a  sniff  instead  of  replying,  he  doesn't  notice  tihe  slight. 
Generally  he  answers  his  own  inquiry  and  turns  again 
to  his  book  or  view.  Even  the  nasty  ways  of  the  chil- 
dren are  lost  on  him.  He  told  me  once  with  every  ap- 
pearance of  sincerity  that  he  thought  young  people  of 
their  age  a  great  addition  to  a  traveling  party.  They 
were  always  in  such  good  spirits,  he  said!  And  not 
an  hour  before  he  had  come  within  an  ace  of  sitting 
on  a  large  tack  which  the  Angelic  boy  had  placed  in 
his  chair. 

Poor  mother!  She  does  have  such  a  hard  time. 
Among  our  guests  are  two  Englishmen  from  China, 
fellows  of  the  best  intentions,  but  somewhat  deficient 


1 82  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

in  education.  They  talk  uninterruptedly  during  the 
dinner  hour  and  drop  enough  h's  to  carpet  the  floor. 
Every  time  one  of  them  perpetrates  that  Cockneyism 
mother  starts  as  if  shocked  by  an  electric  current. 

At  least  once  a  minute  they  allude  to  the  fact  that 
they  are  from  "  'Ongkong."  One  says  to  the  other, 
"You're  looking  'ale  an'  'earty,  old  man."  And  they 
talk  of  "  'am  an'  heggs"  until  mother  is  distracted. 
She  insists  they  do  it  just  to  annoy  her  and  lately  has 
gone  to-  the  extreme  of  having  her  meals  sent  to  her 
room. 

The  first  time  she  was  absent  from  tlhe  table  they 
sent  her  a  kindly  message  which  I  attempted  to  convey. 
"Won't  yer  please  tell  the  missus  as  'ow  we  'opes  she 
'asn't "  But  she  didn't  let  me  finish. 

Your  letters  are  so  charming  I  read  them  over  and 
over.  With  a  thousand  kisses  an!d  all  the  love  in  the 
world, 

Your  Own  WILD  GOOSE. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  183 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


FROM  Kawakodani  the  Van  Stetebens  and  their 
'friends  finally  went,  at  the  end  of  a  fortnight  full  of 
misery  to  Mrs.  Van,  to  the  more  civilized  precincts  of 
Nikko.  There  are  many  Americans  who  think  Nikko 
and  Myanoshita  constitute  the  whole  of  Japan,  out- 
side of  Yokohama,  Tokyo,  Kyoto  and  Kobe.  This 
is  a  great  error,  though  Nikko  is  certainly  a  most  beau- 
tiful place  and  there  will  be  found  at  its  hotel's  in  the 
season  a  goodly  number  of  well-dressed  and  well-be- 
haved  people.  Mrs.  Van  looked  anxiously  from 
her  'ricksha  as  she  rode  up  the  long1  street, 
for  she  feared  a  repetition  of  the  experiences 
through  which  she  had  just  passed;  but  when 
she  descended  at  the  Nikko  Hotel,  a  hand- 
some edifice  where  a  dozen  mousmes,  garbed  taste- 
fully in  kimonos,  and  with  black  tresses  arranged  in 
the  native  fashion,  bowed  before  her  unitil  their  fore- 
heads touched  the  ground,  she  felt  that  she  had  again 
reached  a  spot  where  she  could  breathe  freely. 

The  rooms  which  the  party  were  given  were  large 
and  charmingly  furnished.  The  dinner  was  very  good 
and  to  Mrs.  Van's  delighlt  most  of  the  guests  had 
"dressed"  for  the  occasion.  She  had  put  on  an  elabbr- 


1 84  A  SVGAS.  PRINCESS. 

ate  costume  and  Amy  wore  a  simple  gown,  cut  m  tfi£ 
regulation  decollete"  mode.  Mrs.  Young,  who  had  not 
exhibited  her  charms  as  yet  in  anything  quite  so  grand, 
donned  a  black  silk  that  was  at  least  rich  and  becoming, 
and  all  of  the  gentlemen  in  the  party  wore  evening 
clothes. 

"I  feel,"  remarked  Mrs.  Van,  as  she  glanced  around 
the  dining  room,  "as  if  I  had  got  back  from  a  journey 
to  the  center  of  Africa." 

"But  it's  not  nearly  as  nice  as  the  dear  Mikawaya," 
protested  Amy.  "We  might  as  well  stay  at  home  if 
we  want  to  see  nothing  but  good  hotels.  Don't  you 
think  so?"  she  asked,  turning  suddenly  to  Mr.  Muller. 

"Why,  it  depends,"  he  stammered,  alarmed  at  having 
to  settle  a  point  of  difference  between  motiher  and 
daughter,  "on  the  point  of  view.  I  think  you  will 
find  Nikko  agreeable.  The  situation  is  grand  and  the 
temples  are  thought  by  many  to  be  the  finest  in  Japan." 

"Temples!"  Mrs.  Van  echoed,  as  if  she  could  not 
bear  to  agree  with  anybody,  even  when  they  took  her 
side.  "I  had  rather  see  the  Central  Church  at  Honolulu 
than  all  these  debasing  heathen  buildings.  If  there's 
nothing  in  Nikko  but  temples  the  sooner  we  leave  the 
better." 

"All  I  have  seen  here  seem  tawdry,"  said  Mrs. 
Young,  as  in  duty  bound ;  "quite  like  a  lot  of  glorified 
New  England  barns,  really.  I'm  sure  they're  very  un- 
interesting." 

Nobody  wanted  to  dispute  with  tfhe  ladsies  and  the 
matter  would  have  been  allowed  to  drop  at  this  point 
if  Mr.  Lovejoy  had  not  branched  into  an  elaborate  dis- 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS,  185 

(Jtftsition  on  the  mythology  of  the  Japanctee  and  added 
some  learned  opinions  as  to  the  origin  of  its  ceremon- 
ies. The  respect  that  Mrs.  Van  had  for  "the  doth" 
prevented  her  expressing  the  wearisomeness  she  felt 
during  this  period,  which  happily  the  miraister  did 
not  notice. 

"Mother's  found  a  new  use  for  her  comiyanion  and 
friend,"  said  Amy,  to  Billy,  as  they  strolled  up  and 
down  the  veranda  later  in  the  evening,  their  arms 
around  each  other's  waists.  "When  she  can't  express 
her  feelings,  for  fear  of  seeming  impolite,  she  gets 
'Caroline'  to  do  it  for  her." 

"Caroline  is  just  as  good  as  'Gusty' 1"  cried  a  rasp- 
ing voice  from  over  her  head,  which  sTie  easily  re- 
cognized as  Angd's.  "I'd  thank  you  not  to  talk  about 
my  mother  behind  her  back." 

"If  your  mother  can't  keep  you  from  prdwlin-g 
around  and  listening  to  people  I'll  attend  to  the  matter 
myself,"  cried  Amy,  angrily.  She  wondered  wihen  and 
where  the  boy  had  heard  that  name  applied  to  Mrs. 
Van  Steuben,  for  nobody  used  it  but  her  father.  Then 
a  second  voice  was  heard.  "Angel,  you  ought  to  be 
ashamed  of  yourself,  you  saucy  boy !  It's  lucky  Capt. 
Thorn  isn't  here.  If  he  heard  you  say  such  things  to 
his  Amy  he'd  do  something  to  you  you  wouldn't  like." 

It  was  Seraph,  of  course,  and  between  the  two  Amy 
thought  she  would  go  distracted.  Before  she  could 
utter  another  sentence,  however,  Angel  had  got  in  his 
reply,  and  then  both  the  children  were  heard  racing 
away  with  all  their  might. 

"Thorn!  Thorn!  he  isn't  in  it!    You  mean  Lorirag; 


1 86  X  SUGAR  5PRINCESS. 

he's  just  as  good  as  engaged  to  her — I  heard  him  tell 
Eli  so." 

Amy  was  ready  to  cry  with  vexation.  She  announced 
her  intention  of  warning  her  mother  that  if  these 
impertinences  were  not  stopped  she  would  refuse  to 
continue  her  journey  in  Mrs.  Young's  company. 
Things  had  gone  a  little  too  far  and  sihe  positively 
would  not  bear  it. 

"But,  sister,"  said  Billy,  tantalizingly,  first  glanc- 
ing around  to  see  that  no  one  could  overhear,  "which 
of  tihem  is  it,  really?  You  migfhit  let  me  into  the 
secret." 

"Now,  you're  as  bad  as  they,"  she  cried,  forcibly 
di'sengaging  hi's  arm  from  her  waist.  "If  this  is  kept 
up  I'll  leave  the  whole  party,  I  will  upon  my  word! 
What  are  either  of  those  fools  to  me  ?" 

"Don't  be  cross,"  said  Billy.  "They're  very  decent 
fellows  and  if  either  has  fallen  in  love  with  you  no 
sensible  man  can  blame  him.  I  thougtht,  honestly,  that 
you  liked  Thorn  best.  Now  don't  run  away,  for  we're 
all  going  to  a  tea-house  in  half  an  hour  and  hear  some 
geishas  sing." 

Amy  sprang  up  and  clapped  her  hands  like  a  child. 
She  said  she  was  so  glad  to  hear  that.  Before  leav- 
ing San  Francisco  she  had  seen  a  musical  play  called 
"The  Geisha"  and  thought  it  deliglhtful.  "But  you 
Understand,"  she  added,  meaningly,  "tUiere  is  to  be  no 
more  silly  talk,  either  from  you  or  those  brats. 
If  it  goes  on  I  shall  not  be  able  to  treat  Mr.  Lor  ing  re- 
spectably." 

When  Mrs.  Van  was  notified  of  the  proposed  enter- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  1 87 

tainment  she  declined  at  once  to  go.  Anki  Mrs.  Young, 
like  the  echo  she  invariably  was,  did  likewise.  When 
Mr.  Love  joy  heard  of  this  he  went  to  Mrs.  Van  and 
begged  that  she  would  reconsider  her  intention.  He 
said  geisha  dancing  was  a  national  institution  tihat  no 
person  should  leave  Japan  without  seeing.  Tihe  re- 
sult of  a  long  talk  and  many  question's  was  that  she 
went  with  the  others,  all  except  Mrs.  Young,  who  had 
gone  off  to  bed,  and  whom  it .  was  thought  best  not 
to  disturb. 

When  the  party  reached  the  tea-tfionse  Mrs.  Van 
had  renewed  doubts  as  to  whether  she  had  not  better, 
on  the  whole,  return  to  the  hotel.  The  exhibition 
might  be  all  right,  in  one  way,  but  was  k  becomiitug  for 
a  lady  "  in  her  position  "  to  be  seen  in  such  places? 
''You  must  remember  my  standing  in  Hawaii,"  sihe 
said,  "and  that  my  actions  would  be  considered  quite 
differently  from  those  of  an  ordinary  individual." 

The  minister  listened  in  his  usual  absent-minded 
way  and  then  saying,  "I  think  it's  time  we  were  up- 
stairs," walked  off.  As  all  the  others  had  preceded 
him,  Mrs.  Van  had  nothing  to  do  but  follow,  but  slie 
fidgeted  more  than  ever  when  she  found  the  party  in 
a  room  devoid  of  furniture  and  squatted,  native  fash- 
ion, on  the  mat-covered  floor. 

Mrs.  Van  at  once  declared  that  she  could  not  assume 
that  position — that  someone  must  bring  her  a  dharr; 
but  there  being  nothing  of  the  sort  in  the  building  she 
was  finally  prevailed  upon  to  make  the  best  of  it. 
When  she  had  finally  seated  herself,  she  did  not  look 
particularly  graceful,  it  must  be  admitted,  and  a  smile 


j88  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

crossed  the  faces  of  those  about  her  in  spite  of  aH 
their  efforts. 

A  moment  later  two  geishas  entered  arid  began  tiheir 
iwork.  One  said  afterwards,  in  answer  to  a  query  of 
Billy's  through  Mr.  Muller,  that  sfhe  had  readied  the 
age  of  sixteen  years,  while  the  other,  mucih  the  more 
diminutive  and  pretty  of  the  pair,  confessed  to  twelve. 
The  latter  was  most  picturesquely  arrayed  and  had  a 
piquant  face  which  has  been  immortalized  in  many 
plhotogfraphs  and  engravings,  she  being  one  of  the 
best  known  geishas  of  her  age  in  Japan. 

Billy  regarded  this  child  with  such  undisguised  ad- 
miration that  his  mother  was  obliged  to  reprove  him 
with  a  severe  frown.  His  pleasure  at  the  girl's  beauty, 
however,  was  soon  dampened  by  the  monotonously  un- 
musical quality  of  her  voice,  judged  by  western  stand- 
ards. A  tame  crow  could  hardly  have  furnished  less 
melody.  Her  companion's  notes  were  if  anything 
worse  and  the  instrumental  part  of  the  affair  was  com- 
posed principally  of  pounding  on  a  sort  of  tom-tom, 
which  gave  out  a  banging  noise  anything  but  agree- 
able to  the  ears  of  the  guests. 

"Is  this  a  fair  specimen  of  geisiha  music?"  asked 
Mr.  Loring,  when  there  was  a  lull. 

"Yes,"  replied  Carl.  "The  Japanese  think  these 
sounds  seraphic  and  never  tire  of  them.  Foreigners 
are  usually  content  with  one  experience  of  tihe  sort." 

"I  should  think  so,"  put  in  Mrs.  Van,  wiho  had  cov- 
ered up  her  ears  in  pain  during  the  progress  of  the  af- 
fair. "How  anybody  could  like  that  sort  of  thing  puz- 

rles  me.     Why,  I'd  rate- "     She  paused  for  f> 

Simile  and  gave  it  up. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  189 

The  supper,  always  served  after  the  music,  was  then 
brought  in,  and  everybody  except  Mrs.  Van  tasted  of 
the  dishes,  though  without  finding  any  of  them  es- 
pecially fascinating.  The  fun  of  trying  to  eat  with 
chop-sticks  set  all  who  made  the  attempt  to  laughing 
violently.  Next  the  sake  (rice  wine)  was  passed,  and 
an  elaborate  ceremony  which  accompanied  it  was  ex-- 
plained. 

The  younger  geisha  had  seated  herself  by  Billy's 
side  and  seemed  to  find  the  position  entirely  congenial. 

"William!"  exclaimed  his  mother,  as  she  saw  the 
cup  passed  back  and  forth  between  them.  "Be  careful ! 
I've  heard  that  drinking  sake  together  constitutes  a 
legal  marriage  in  this  country." 

"Then  I  am  already  a  benedict,"  he  responded,  with1 
a  burst  of  merriment.  "Mrs.  Van  Steuben,  allow  me 
to  present  your  daughter-in-law." 

"There  is  a  second  married  couple  here  already,  if 
this  is  true,"  commented  Mr.  Lovejoy,  waking  up  to 
the  occasion.  "Miss  Amy,  you  and  Mr " 

The  girl  stopped  him  by  the  speedy  method  of  put- 
ting her  hand  over  his  mouth.  Mrs.  Vain  Steuben  re- 
gained her  feet,  with  Carl's  assistance,  and  said  she 
thought  it  quite  time  for  them  to  return  to  the  hotel. 

"Wait  just  a  minute,  mother,"  pleaded  Amy.  "T 
want  to  have  a  little  talk  with  this  pretty  child." 

"So  do  I,"  said  Billy,  holding  out  his  cup  for  the 
geisha  to  fill  again. 

Ko'Cho-san,  which  was  the  name  of  the  precocious 
infant,  Insisted  that  Carl  should  tell  her  in  'Japanese 
everything  the  others  said,  and  he  managed  with  some 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

difficulty  to  give  her  an  idea  of  most  of  it.  She 
laughed  very  much  at  the  notion  that  Billy  'had  become 
her  husband,  and  nestling  coquettishly  to  his  side — 
to  Mrs.  Van's  horror — murmured  that  she  was  his 
oke-san  (wife). 

"The  trouble  would  be  I  should  never  know  him 
from  any  other  foreigner,"  she  said  to  Carl.  "They  all 
look  exactly  alike  to  me." 

"That's  as  much  as  to  say  I'm  a  'coon/  "  retorted 
Billy,  when  this  was  translated  to  him. 

"How  far  from  Nikko  do  these  ladies  and  gentlemen 
live  ?"  was  the  little  geisha's  next  question. 

"If  they  travelled  as  rapidly  as  possible  it  would 
take  them  twenty  days  and  nights  to  reach  home." 

She  drew  a  long  breath. 

"I  should  think  they  would  be  sleepy  before  they 
got  there,"  she  remarked,  with  innocent  sincerity. 

Amid  the  laughter  that  followed  an  interpretation  of 
this  speech,  the  bill  was  brought  in  and  paid  and  the 
party  left  the  house. 

"I  never  shall  forget  that  cunning  child,"  said  Amy 
to  Mr.  Loring,  as  their  'rickshas  happened  to  come 
abreast  in  the  dimly  lighted  street.  "She  makes  rne 
think  of  the  song  in  that  charming  story  called  'Mad- 
ame Butterfly' — 

"  Rog-a-by,  Bebby,  ofen  Japan, 
You  jus'  a  picture  ofen  a  fan.'' 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


"DO  YOU  LOVE  HER  VERY  MUCH?" 

QUITE  a  pleasant  surprise,  for  at  least  one  of  the 
party  at  Nikko,  occured  on  the  following  day.  When 
they  returned  to  the  hotel  from  a  visit  to  the  temples 
they  were  met  at  the  door  by  no  less  a  person  than 
Capt.  Thorn,  into  whose  embrace  Olive  sprang  with 
a  cry  of  joy.  As  soon  as  he  could  disengage  the  cling- 
ing arms  without  undue  haste,  Thorn  greeted  the  oth- 
ers, beginning  with  Mrs.  Van  and  ending  in  a  half- 
bashful  sort  of  way  with  Amy. 

"I  didn't  write  that  I  was  coming,"  he  explained, 
"because  I  wasn't  sure  till  the  last  minute  I  could 
get  away  and  didn't  wish  to  arouse  false  hopes  in  my 
sister."  He  pressed  closer  the  girl  around  whom  his 
arm  was  still  placed,  and  she  hid  her  face  again  in 
pure  happiness  on  his  shoulder. 

"I  hope  Olive  has  been  a  good  girl,"  he  added, 
playfully,  addressing  the  question  especially  to  the 
clergyman. 

"I  have  not  observed  any  particularly  reprehensible 
conduct  on  her  part,"  Mr.  Love  joy  responded,  as  he 
gazed  at  the  young  lady  through  his  glasses. 

"She's  been  an  angel!"  vociferated  Amy,  witK 
warmth.  "But  do  let  us  sit  down.  We  act  as  if  we 


192  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

were  going  to  have  our  pictures  taken  in  a  group. 
Don't  tell  me,  Capt.  Thorn,"  she  added,  "that  you've 
come  with  any  idea  of  taking  Ollie  away  from  me, 
for  I  just  couldn't  bear  it." 

Miss  Thorn  looked  startled  at  the  suggestion 
and  eyed  her  brother  anxiously.  He  set  their  fears  at 
rest  at  once  by  responding  that  he  had  no  such  dis- 
agreeable idea.  He  wanted  instead,  if  agreeable  to  all 
parties,  to  join  them  for  a  month  or  two.  Mr.  Loring, 
who  was  not  skilled  at  concealing  his  emotions,  color- 
ed slightly.  Amy  thought  the  next  two  or  three  sec- 
onds like  hours.  She  did  not  consider  it  her  place  to 
reply,  having  a  suspicion  that  she  was  the  main  reason 
whioh  actuated  Cap't.  Thorn's  request.  At  last  her 
mother  came  to  the  rescue,  saying  he  would  be  very 
welcome  and  asking  when  he  had  last  seen  her  husband. 

"May  I  be  forgiven !"  cried  Amy,  drawing  her  chair 
nearer  Thorn  involuntarily.  "I  never  thought.  Do  tell 
us  the  very  latest  news." 

Capt.  Thorn  said  he  had  not,  unfortunately,  seen 
Mr.  Van  Steuben  on  the  eve  of  his  departure,  as  that 
gentleman  had  gone  to  Kauai.  He  believed  him,  how- 
ever, to  be  in  excellent  health,  as  he  had  heard  nothing 
to  the  contrary. 

As  it  was  nearly  time  to  dress  for  dinner,  an  opera- 
tion which  took  a  full  hour  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Van, 
that  lady  asked  to  be  excused.  With  her  departure  the 
party  on  the  veranda  broke  up.  Only  the  two  girls 
and  Capt.  Thorn  lingered  a  little  longer. 

"It  is  evident  you  have  taken  excellent  care  of  my 
sister,"  he  said  to  Amy,  with  an  affectionate  gaze  at 
Oiive.  "I  never  saw  her  looking  better." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  193 

"Indeed  she  has!"  Olive  answered,  warmly.  "And 
now  that  you  are  to  be  with  us  nothing  is  wanted  to 
make  my  happiness  complete." 

"Do  you  feel  sure,  Miss  Van  Steuben,  that  I  shall 
be  a  welcome  addition  to  your  traveling  party?" 

In  spite  of  him,  his  voice  trembled  slightly  and  Amy 
realized  that  there  was  more  in  his  words  than  appeared 
on  the  surface. 

"Mother  has  invited  you  to  stay,"  she  replied,  "and 
I  don't  see  what  possible  harm  your  presence  can  do. 
There's  surely  room  enough  in  all  the  hotels  for  one 
more.  I  must  leave  you  now,  but  we  shall  meet  at 
the  table.  If  you  want  to  talk  a  little  longer  with  your 
brother,  Ollie,  I'll  send  my  maid  to  help  you  when  she 
gets  through  with  me." 

With  a  bow  that  was  all  dignity  and  yet  full  of 
courtesy,  Amy  bade  good-by  to  the  Captain,  at  the 
same  time  pressing  a  kiss  on  his  sister's  cheek.  She 
had  hardly  vanished  when  a  shrill  voice  was  heard 
from  the  balcony  overhead. 

"  The  queerest  thing  you'll  find  in  posies 
Is  a  Thorn  between  two  Roses  !" 

Somewhat  startled,  the  Captain  glanced  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  sound. 

"It's  those  children  of  Mrs.  Young's,"  Olive  ex- 
plained, with  a  frown.  "They  are  simply  unbearable. 
Whenever  we  imagine  we're  alone  those  imps  are 
peeping  and  spying  and  interjecting  remarks." 

"Mrs.  Young's?"  he  repeated,  vaguely. 

the  woman  you  met  at  Mrs.  Van  Steuben's, 


194  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

don't  you  remember,  with  the  reddish-brown  hairr 
She  came  along  as  Mrs.  Van's  guest  and  brought  her 
two  brats  with  her." 

They  had  lowered  their  voices  now  so  that  even  if 
the  scamps  were  trying  to  listen  from  their  perch  over- 
head they  could  not  succeed.  Observations  were 
thrown  down  from  time  to  time,  nevertheless,  sudh  as, 
"Whisperin's  always  lying,"  and  "The  Englishman's 
cut  you  out,  all  right."  When  Thorn  could  stand 
it  no  longer  he  raised  his  voice  and  remarked.  "The 
first  time  I  catch  you,  young  man,  I'll  cuff  your  ears." 
To  which  Seraph's  voice  replied,  "That's  slander.  I 
ain't  no  young  man ;  and  I'll  tell  my  mother  what  you 
called  me." 

Retreating  steps  indicated  that  the  girl  had  gone 
in  the  direction  referred  to. 

"Olive,"  whispered  Thorn,  when  the  incident  was 
ended,  "has  Miss  Amy  said  anything " 

She  shook  her  head  dejectedly. 

"I'm  sorry  to  say  she  hasn't.  It's  just  as  I  wrote 
you  the  last  time.  She  seems  exceedingly  fond  of  me, 
but  when  I  talk  of  you  she  doesn't  utter  a  word.  I've 
gone  as  far  as  I  dare.  I've  talked  of  you  by  the  half 
hour,  saying  how  I  wished  you'd  find  some  dear  girl 
for  a  wife  and  settle  down  in  a  home  of  your  own: 
I've  told  her  you  never  had  a  love  affair  and  that  if 
you  ever  formed  an  attachment  it  would  be  of  a 
kind  to  last  forever.  And  she's  listened,  as  if  juist  out 
of  politeness,  and  when  she's  spoken  again  it's  been 
about  something  else." 

Thorn's  hands  were  clenched  till  the  finger  nails  cut 


A  SUGAR  PRJNCESS. 

into  the  flesh.  His  face  was  set  and  pate.  His  dark 
eyes  gleamed  in  the  half  light  like  polished  jewels. 

"Tell  me  about  the  other  one,"  he  said,  presently. 
"Does  she  give  him  any  encouragement?" 

"Mr.  Loring?  I  don't  think  he's  had  the  courage 
to  lisp  a  word  to  her." 

"Has  she  met  anyone  else  on  this  journey?" 

"No  one  who  could  be  thought  of  in  that  connec- 
tion." 

"Then  I'm  going  to  ask  her,  within  a  week.  There's 
nothing  to  be  gained  by  waiting  and  she  can't  get 
angry  with  me  for  an  honest  declaration.  You  remem- 
ber the  poet's  words 

" '  He  either  fears  his  fate  too  much, 

Or  his  desert  is  small, 
Who  will  not  put  it  to  the  touch, 
To  win  or  lose  it.  all !' " 

Miss  Thorn  lifted  her  eyes  sympathetically  to  her 
brother. 

"Do  you  love  her  very,  very  much?"  she  whisper- 
ed. "Couldn't  you  learn  to  bear  it  if  she  said  no  ?" 

"I  came  here  because  I  could  not  endure  the  sus- 
pense," he  said,  with  short  breaths ;  "if  she  refuses  me 
it  will  break  up  my  life." 

"Poor  boy ! "  she  murmured.  "Don't  give  way  to 
discouragement.  You  may  win  her  yet." 

Looking  stealthily  around  to  make  sure  there  were 
no  spectators  present,  Capt.  Thorn  pressed  a  warm 
kiss  on  his  sister's  cheek.  She  had  given  him  hope 
that  he  needed  badly.  As  he  entered  the  hallway  he 
saw  Carl  Muller  dressed  for  dinner  already. 


196  X  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"It  can*t  be  He,  that  would  be  impossible,"  whisper- 
ed Thorn  to  himself,  as  the  idea  struck  him  for  the 
first  time.  "Her  father  objects  to  men  of  title,  but 
he  would  hardly  consent  to  a  man  who  is  little  more 
than  a  personal  servant.  Taint  heart  never  won  fair 
lady.'  I  must  win!  I  must!" 

The  dinner  passed  quietly,  Capt.  Thorn  taking  pains 
to  be  agreeable  to  everybody  and  not  to  address  un- 
necessary remarks  to  the  object  of  his  hopes. 

Mr.  Loring  was  even  less  talkative  than  usual.  He 
too  was  thinking  of  the  best  way  to  impart  to  the  fair 
daughter  of  the  sugar  king  the  desire  that  rilled  his 
heart.  The  coming  of  Capt.  Thorn  made  it  seem  dan- 
gerous to  postpone  the  important  question  too  long. 

The  party  had  adjourned  to  the  veranda  as  usual  for 
coffee,  when  Seraph  Young  appeared  and  sought  her 
mother  for  the  purpose  of  saying  good-night.  She 
looked  as  innocently  at  Capt.  Thorn  and  his  sister  as 
if  she  had  not  excited  their  wrath  less  than  two  hours 
ago,  and  bore  herself  in  short  quite  like  the  kind  of 
creature  for  which  she  was  christened.  As  soon  as 
Mrs.  Young  had  pressed  her  lips  to  the  child's  freck- 
les, Seraph  suddenly  asked,  in  her  shrill,  piping  voice — 

"Mother,  what's  a  nim  bezzler?" 

The  proverbial  pin,  had  it  fallen  upon  the  floor  of 
the  veranda,  could  easily  have  been  heard.  Such  a 
question,  coming  from  the  mouth  of  so  young  a  child, 
was  enough  to  rivet  general  attention. 

"What  makes  you  ask?"  was  the  maternal  way  of 
putting  an  inquiry,  that  did  not  originate,  I  think, 
with  Mrs.  Young. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  197 

"  'Cause  Angel  was  reading  in  a  paper  in  the  par- 
lor about  a  nim  bezzler  that  is  badly  wanted,  a  long 
way  from  here.  And  when  I  asked  him  what  it  was 
he  told  me  'a  kind  of  blackbird.'  That's  the  way  he 
always  makes  fun  of  me.  What  is  a  nim  bezzler, 
mamma?  Tell  me,  please!" 

"Angel  should  not  pick  up  every  paper  he  finds  in  a 
hotel,"  commented  Mrs.  Young,  but  this  did  not  sat- 
isfy the  child's  curiosity. 

"What  is  it — what  is  it — what  is  it?"  she  cried 
stamping  her  feet.  "Somebody  tell  me,  oh !  I  won't  go  to 
bed  tonight  unless  they  do.  Angel  will  keep  nagging 
me  till  I  find  out.  You  tell  me,  Mr.  Loring,"  she 
continued,  appealing  to  that  gentleman  in  her  despair. 

The  Englishman  was  overcome  by  the  battery  of 
eyes  that  were  turned  upon  him  and  hesitated  how 
to  frame  a  reply. 

"Go  to  bed,  that's  a  good  girl,"  said  Mrs.  Young, 
soothingly. 

"No,  no!    He's  just  going  to  tell  me!" 

"Why,  an  embezzler,"  said  Mr.  Loring,  clearing  his 
throat,  "is  a  man  who — er — takes  for  his  own  anything 
that  is — er — left  in  his  care;  for  instance,  money." 

"That's  a  lie!"  retorted  the  minx.  "If  he  was,  no- 
body would  'want  him  badly.'  Capt.  Thorn,  you  tell 
me !  I'll  go  right  to  bed,  if  you'll  just  say  what  a  nim- 
bezzler  really  is." 

All  eyes  were  now  turned  upon  Thorn,  but  before 
he  could  speak  Amy  interposed  sharply. 

"If  you'll  excuse  me,  Mrs.  Young,  that  child's  com- 
pany has  ceased  to  be  agreeable." 


198  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"Amy!"  said  Mrs.  Van  Steuben,  severely.  "Mrs. 
Young  is  my  guest." 

"So  are  these  gentlemen,  whom  she  permits  her 
child  to  annoy  and  insult,"  was  the  quick  reply.  "It  is 
not  the  first  time,  and  I  insist  it  shall  be  stopped." 

Capt.  Thorn  and  Mr.  Loring  rose  quietly  and  stroll- 
ed out  upon  the  lawn.  Olive  went  upstairs.  Billy  and 
Carl  were  missing  from  the  group,  and  were  supposed 
to  be  away  somewhere  together.  Mr.  Lovejoy  looked 
on  without  moving,  in  a  fatherly  sort  of  way.  Mrs. 
Young  seemed  in  doubt  what  to  do,  but  when  she.  half 
rose  from  her  chair  Mrs.  Van  insisted  that  she  remain 
where  she  was. 

"You  have  made  a  nice  scene,"  she  remarked,  sharp- 
ly, to  her  daughter.  "I  think  you  owe  Mrs.  Young  an 
apology." 

"I  hope  she'll  sit  there  till  she  gets  it!"  was  the 
immediate  response.  "I  owe  her  child  a  sound  whip- 
ping. She  and  her  'Angel'  brother  have  insulted  people 
in  this  party  quite  enough.  Now,  mother,  there  is  no  use 
in  arguing  this  point.  If  Mrs.  Young  allows  it  to  go 
on,  and  you  endorse  her,  I  shall  certainly  go  on  my 
way  without  you." 

The  clergyman,  with  the  blundering  faculty  for 
which  he  was  noted,  seemed  to  think  this  declaration 
demanded  a  mild  reproof.  He  therefore  began  to 
remind  the  young  lady  that  her  mother  was  the  best 
judge  of  her  conduct,  when  he  was  suddenly  interrupt- 
ed. 

"Did  anybody  ask  your  opinion?  I  would  suggest 
that  you  join  the  other  gentlemen  who  are  inspecting 
the  moon  yonder." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  199 

The  mild  and  benignant  smile  with  which  this  idea 
was  received  only  exasperated  Amy  the  more.  Mr. 
Lovejoy  looked  at  her  over  his  glasses,  and  refused  to 
take  the  least  offence.  Mrs.  Van  Steuben.  thousrh  she 
had  not  relished  his  taking  part  in  the  conversation, 
was  horrified  at  her  daughter's  manner  toward  a  man 
of  "the  cloth."  After  several  gasps  for  breath  she  rose 
and  started  for  her  room,  followed  majestically  by 
her  satellite.  The  small  cause  of  the  disturbance,  too 
evidently  pleased  at  the  excitement  she  had  created, 
waited  till  the  last  with  a  grin  on  her  freckled  face  and 
then  joined  the  procession  with  her  chin  in  the  air, 
in  imitation  of  those  who  preceded  Tier. 

"I  didn't  mean  to  be  saucy  to  you,"  said  Amy,  when 
she  was  alone  with  Mr.  Loveiov.  "but  that  child  oro- 
vokes  me  beyond  endurance.  I  was  sincere  in  what 
I  said  to  my  mother.  If  it  is  not  stopped  I  shall  go  on 
the  rest  of  my  journey  without  her.  And  now  what  I 
want  to  ask  you  is — and  I  know  you'll  do  anything  for 
me,  for  my  dear  papa's  sake — if  Olive  and  I  do  run  off 
together  will  you  let  us  have  Mr. — I  mean  your  man 
Carl — for  our  courier.  You  and  Mr.  Lorinsf  are  old 
travelers  and  could  get  along  without  him  better  than 
two  young  girls  like  us." 

The  minister  shook  his  head  like  one  of  the  toy 
donkeys  that  fill  the  shop  windows  at  Christmas,  mur- 
muring that  she  must  be  a  good  girl  and  do  nothing 
rash. 

"Listen,  and  don't  wiggle  your  face!"  retorted  Amy. 
"If  we  do  go,  Ollie  and  I,  will  you  let  us  wander  off 
alone  in  a  country  where  we  don't  know  our  way  and 


200  X  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

may  get  into  all  kirids  of  trouble?  Perhaps  I'd  better 
not  go,  and  maybe  I  won't  have  to,  but  if  I  do — that's 
the  question.  Can  I  have  Carl  if  I  need  him  ?" 

He  digested  the  new  form  of  the  question  for  a 
minute  and  then  asked  why  she  could  not  take  Mr. 
Loring. 

"Oh,  can't  you  think  of  something  less  ridiculous!" 
she  cried,  forgetting  her  resolution  to  be  polite.  "You 
know  he  doesn't  understand  the  Japanese  language 
any  better  than  I." 

The  minister  scratched  his  beard  and  seemed  to 
admit  that  here  was  really  a  difficulty.  "Capt.  Thorn 
would  hardly  want  his  sister  to  go  away  without  him," 
he  suggested,  feebly.  "You  won't  go ;  you'll  be  a  good 
girl  and  obey  your  mother." 

"Then  you  refuse  to  let  me  have  Mr. — I  mean  Carl  ? 
I'll  write  to  my  father  the  kind  of  a  friend  you  are, 
before  I  go  to  bed !" 

As  she  turned  away  the  clergyman  relented  enough 
to  call  after  her  that  of  course  he  would  do  anything 
she  wished,  if  things  came  to  such  a  pass  that  it  was 
necessary.  But  he  modified  her  joy  by  inquiring,  when 
her  face  was  turned  toward  him  aeain,  if  her  brother 
was  not  after  all  best  fitted  to  fill  the  emergency. 

"Oh,  what  a  man  you  are !"  she  cried.  "Billy  knows 
nothing  about  Japan,  he  knows  nothing  about  the 
language,  he  knows  nothing  about  taking  care  of  any- 
body, not  even  himself.  He  must  stay  with  mother, 
not  to  take  care  of  her,  but  to  let  her  take  care  of  him. 
I  don't  know  where  he  is  at  this  blessed  minute,  but  I 
presume  he's  drinking  sake  with  sdme  almond-eyed 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2OI 

mousme*  and  saying  a  lot  of  silly  things  that  she 
doesn't  understand.  You  will  lend  Carl  to  me — is  that 
it?  If  I  need  him,  you  will  lend  Carl  to  me  and  Olive?" 

He  had  one  more  suggestion  left. 

"  I  suppose  you  wouldn't  object  to  my  going, 
too?" 

She  said  it  was  not  to  be  thought  of  for  an  instant. 
She  should  go  quite  into  the  interior  of  the  country, 
up  among  the  mountains  on  horseback,  a  journey  no 
gentleman  of  his  years  could  possibly  take.  Probably 
when  Mrs.  Van  Steuben  saw  the  effect  of  her  action 
in  siding  with  a  stranger  against  her  own  daughter  she 
would  give  Mrs.  Young  to  understand  that  Seraph 
must  be  kept  within  bounds.  In  that  case  Amy  said 
she  would  return  and  all  would  be  aeain  serene. 

Fearful  that  he  would  invent  some  new  plan  if  she 
did  not  clinch  the  nail,  she  repeated  her  question. 

"Mr.  Lovejoy,  answer  me,  and  don't  beat  about  the 
bush !  If  Ollie  and  I  go  off  by  ourselves  do  you  mean 
to  let  us  go  alone,  or  will  you  let  us  have  the  only 
practical  guard  we  can  possibly  obtain?" 

"Why,"  he  stammered,  "of  course,  in  that  case *' 

With  a  hop,  skip  and  jump  she  danced  up  to  him 
and  caught  his  head  between  her  fair  hands,  giving  it 
a  delighted  squeeze;  and  a  second  later  she  was  out 
of  sight. 

When  Carl  returned  he  found  his  employer  on  the 
veranda  and  heard  this  solemn  statement  : 

"Miss  Van  Steuben  and  her  mother  have  had  a 
slight  difference  and  she  talks  of  going  off  for  a  little 


2O2  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

while  with  Miss  Thorn  to  some  of  the  mountain  re- 
sorts. In  case  she  does  I  have  consented,  reluctantly, 
to  let  you  accompany  them  as  guide  and  interpreter. 
I  hope  it  will  not  be  disagreeable  to  you." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2O$ 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

HER  FIRST  PROPOSAL. 

MARCUS  LINDES  returned  to  St.  Louis  heart-broken. 
Nothing  but  the  hope  of  setting  aside  the  latest  will 
that  Mr.  Meyer  had  executed  kept  him  from  utter 
despair.  Mr.  Uhrig  joined  him  ardently  in  this  task, 
for  he  had  a  little  of  the  matter  on  his  conscience  too. 
Affidavits  of  Meyer's  condition  while  in  Honolulu  were 
presented  to  the  court.  Marcus  added  his  own  con- 
trite evidence,  supported  by  Mr.  Uhrig's  and  Mr. 
Pyne's.  The  second  will  was  thus  opposed  by  both  the 
trustees  named  therein  and  the  court  was  not  lone 
in  coming  to  a  decision.  A  record  was  made  that 
Carl  Muller  was  Peter  Meyer's  rightful  heir. 

Neither  Lindes  nor  Uhrig  had  much  prospect  of 
finding  themselves  warmly  received  by  Carl,  either 
in  person  or  by  letter.  In  this  dilemma  Mr.  Pyne  was 
consulted,  with  the  result  that  newspaper  publicity 
was  decided  upon  as  a  beginning.  He  thought  if  Carl 
saw  in  the  public  prints  that  the  estate  had  been 
awarded  to  him  without  effort  on  his  part  he  could 
hardly  do  less  than  return  to  claim  it. 

An  article  was  prepared  for  the  San  Francisco  Hexa- 
meter, which  took  up  the  better  part  of  a  column,  and 
related  the  principal  facts  in  the  interesting  case.  The 


204  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

fact  that  CarJ  was  at  present  journeying  in  Japan  was 

carefully  inserted. 

To  make  it  more  likely  that  he  would  have  these 
facts  brought  to  his  attention,  Mr.  Pyne  marked  copies 
of  the  newspaper  and  had  them  mailed  to  all  periodi- 
cals printed  in  the  English  language  in  Japanese  cit- 
ies. The  young  man  was  so  very  peculiar,  he  did  not 
send  any  to  him  direct,  though  he  debated  for  some 
time  the  idea  of  doing  so.  The  article  would  naturally 
attract  notice  among  Americans  and  Carl's  attention 
could  hardly  escape  being  called  to  the_  matter. 

Although  Lindes  did  not  think  it  wise  to  follow 
Carl  to  the  Orient,  he  compromised  with  his  impa- 
tience by  going  to  Honolulu,  where  he  had  many  inter- 
views with  Abel  Van  Steuben.  The  sugar  king  had 
frequent  news  of  the  young  man  and  every  move  he 
made  was  duly  reported  to  the  anxious  waiter. 

In  the  meantime  our  friends  in  Japan  finished  the 
sights  at  Nikko  and,  in  spite  of  Mrs.  Van's  repeated 
statements  that  she  would  not  go  another  foot  into 
the  country,  which  she  declared  (with  an  idea  that  the 
expression,  being  English,  must  be  aristocratic)  was 
"perfectly  beastly,"  took  horses  and  made  the  trip 
over  the  mountains  to  Ikao,  via  Chuzenji.  The  alter- 
native was  to  part  company  with  her  headstrong 
daughter,  whose  dislike  of  the  Young  contingent  did 
not  abate  in  the  least.  Mrs.  Van  had  said  a  few  mild 
words  to  her  friend  in  reference  to  the  children,  but 
they  seemed  to  have  little  effect.  On  the  evening  be- 
fore leaving  beautiful  Lake  Chuzenji  an  incident  oc- 
curred which  nearly  disrupted  the  party.  Seraph  had 


S  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2O$ 

an  out  anil  out  tiff  with  Amy,  in  which  very  warm 
language  was  used  on  both  sides. 

However,  when  word  was  brought  in  the  morning 
that  the  child  was  quite  ill,  and  that  a  doctor  had  been 
called,  Amy  went  impulsively  to  the  bedside  and  ex- 
pressed regret  for  her  sharp  words.  When  Mrs. 
Young  left  them  alone  Seraph  took  the  young  lady's 
hand  and  pressed  it  to  her  hot  head,  while  her  heavy 
eyes  opened  and  closed  languidly. 

"I  didn't  want  to  make  any  trouble,"  murmured  the 
thin  voice.  "Tell  Mr.  Loring  I'm  sorry  I  said  you 
wanted  to  marry  him.  I  didn't  mean  any  harm  by 
it." 

Sobs  shook  the  little  form  as  the  child  buried  her 
head  in  the  pillow.  Amy  was  much  distressed. 

"I  will  forgive  you,"  she  responded,  "if  you'll  never 
say  anything  like  that  again.  I  do  not  want  to  marry 
Mr.  Loring,  and  'such  expressions  are  very  annoying." 

The  freckled  face  was  revealed  and  the  red  hair 
was  brushed  back.  The  swollen  eyes  opened. 

"You  might  tell  me,"  said  the  child,  eagerly.  "I'll 
never  say  a  word  to  anyone.  Captain  Thorn — is  it 
him?" 

"Is  what  'him'?  My  dear  dhild,  please  say  nothing 
more  about  my  affairs !" 

"All  right,"  was  the  weary  response.  "I  know  it 
is  Thorn.  I  wonder  I  didn't  understand  before.  When 
are  you  going  to  be  married  ?" 

"Seraph!"  Amy  spoke  sharply  in  spite  of  herself. 

"Yes,  it  must  be  Thorn,"  pursued  the  young  thing, 
as  if  to  herself.  "There's  nobody  else  but  Mullerj 


206  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

and  though  he  worships  the  ground  you  walk  on,  he's 
too  poor  to  marry  a  rich  lady." 

Miss  Van  Steuben  had  reached  the  door  and  open- 
ed it  a  little  way,  prepared  to  end  the  interview,  but 
she  paused,  red  as  a  peony. 

"What  right  have  you  to  speak  in  that  way  about — • 
about  Mr.  Lovejoy's  man  ?"  she  asked,  in  a  faint  voice. 

"Poor  fellow!"  was  the  soft  reply.  "I  pitv  him  so 
sometimes !  He  sits  by  himself  and  looks  so  down- 
hearted. And  when  you  come  he  brightens  up  like  the 
sky  when  the  sun  breaks  through  the  clouds.  But 
he's  poor,"  she  droned  on  sleepily,  "he  has  no  family 
or  friends,  mamma  says.  So  it  must  be  Thorn ;  yes,  it's 
Thorn.  I'll  never  say  a  word  to  anybody,  if  you'll 
just  tell  me  it's  Thorn." 

Seraph  did  not  even  turn  her  gaze  toward  her 
listener.  She  seemed  as  if  merely  thinking:  aloud.  Anx- 
ious to  end  the  conversation  in  a  way  to  prevent  its 
ever  being  reopened,  Miss  Van  Steuben  tarried  a  mo- 
ment longer,  foolish  as  it  seemed. 

"I'm  not  going  to  marry  anybody,"  she  said,  "and 
I  don't  see  what  put  such  ideas  into  your  little  head. 
Never  speak  about  it  again  or  you'll  distress  me  very 
much." 

Seraph  turned  her  head  on  the  pillow  and  looked 
earnestly  at  her  visitor. 

"  But  all  the  others  speak  about  it,"  she  persisted. 
"Angel  offered  to  bet  me  one  day  you'd  marry  Hi, 
but  mother's  setting  her  cap  for  him  and  nobody  can 
cut  her  out  if  she  makes  up  her  mind.  I  see  through 
her  pretence  of  quarrelling  with  him.  She  can't  fool 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2O7 

me.  Rut  I'm  sure  you  are  going  to  marry  Thorn.  You 
didn't  say  you  wasn't,"  she  added,  slyly. 

"Well,  I  say  it  now,"  was  forced  from  Amy's  lips, 
almost  before  she  was  aware  of  it. 

A  second  later  she  had  opened  the  door  and  saw 
Mr.  Loring  standing  there.  There  could  not  be  much 
doubt  he  had  overheard  her  statement.  Wondering 
what  construction  he  would  put  upon  it  she  confusedly 
bade  him  good-morning  and  hurried  away  without  an- 
swering the  questions  he  began  to  ask  as  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  sick  girl. 

Somerset  Loring  had  come  to  that  door  for  the 
simple  reason  that  Miss  Van  Steuben  was  inside.  He 
had  happened  to  inquire  Seraph's  condition  from  her 
mother  and  had  been  directed  to  the  chamber  with  the 
information  that  Miss  Amy  was  calling  there.  At  the 
entrance  he  had  heard  her  voice;  and  as  he  paused, 
uncertain  what  to  do,  there  came  those  words  that  had 
so  much  meaning  to  him : 

"I'm  just  sure  you're  going  to  marry  Thorn;  you 
didn't  say  you  wasn't." 

And  even  as  his  heart  sank  there  came  the  reply 
which  sent  the  life  blood  through  his  arteries  in  great 
leaps,  "Well,  I  say  it  now." 

In  tfie  affairs  of  this  life  there  are  really  n<o  insig- 
nificant things.  "Trifles  light  as  air"  may  change  the 
course  of  a  human  existence.  Mr.  Loring  needed  some 
sudden  impetus  to  awaken  his  courage.  A  thousand 
times  he  had  been  on  the  point  of  declaring  his  love ; 
a  thousand  times  he  had  let  the  moment  pass.  The 
silly  child  had  obtained  for  him  the  one  great  assur- 


2O8  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

ance  he  wanted.  If  Capt.  Thorn  was  not  his  rival  he 
knew  of  none  to  fear.  Amy's  confusion,  when  she 
realized  that  he  had  overheard  her  statement,  only  con- 
vinced him  of  what  he  most  wanted  to  believe. 

Filled  with  new  courage  he  encountered  her  the 
next  day  as  she  was  about  to  take  a  short  walk  and 
asked  permission  to  accompany  her.  The  ready  con- 
sent which  she  gave  added  to  his  confidence.  As  they 
strolled  along  a  narrow  road  by  the  border  of  the 
lake  he  began  at  once  to  unbosom  his  mind. 

"Miss  Van  Steuben,"  he  began,  "may  I  speak  to 
you  on  a  subject  of  great  importance  to  me — one  in 
which  the  entire  hapiness  of  my  life  is  bound  up  ?" 

Now,  there  is  no  young  woman  of  the  present  day, 
whatever  there  may  have  been  in  past  ages,  who  would 
have  any  doubt  what  such  words  meant,  coming  from 
the  lips  of  an  unmarried  man.  Amy  understood  him 
perfectly. 

"You  may  say  anything  you  think  wise  and  proper/* 
she  answered  composedly ;  too  composedly,  he  thought 
afterwards. 

"It  is  harder  to  begin  than  I  thought  it  would  be," 
he  said,  after  a  short  pause.  "Your  answer  to  the 
question  I  am  going  to  ask  will  either  make  me  the 
most  miserable  or  the  most  happy  of  men,  I  am  thirty 
years  of  age  and  this  is  the  first  time  I  have  ever 
said  to  a  woman  what  I  am  saying  to  you.  I  love  you 
and  I  ask  you  to  be  my  wife." 

Amy  drew  a  long  breath.  The  answer  she  had 
thought  would  be  so  easy  did  not  come  at  once. 

"One  thing  more,"  said  Loring,  in  a  very  low 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2OQ 

voice.  "I  am  the  only  son  of  one  of  the  wealthiest  men 
in  England.  I  belong  to  a  family  that  had  held  a  high 
position  for  generations.  I  can  say  without  boasting 
that  my  life  has  been  an  honorable  one  in  all  respects 
and  as  open  as  the  day.  I  have  loved  you  almost 
from  the  first  moment  we  met  in  California.  Amy — 
may  I  call  you  Amy? — may  I  call  you  sweetheart?" 

It  was  much  harder  than  she  had  dreamed  it  could 
be,  to  tell  this  man  that  he  was  nothing  to  her  but  a 
mere  acquaintance,  that  she  did  not  and  never  could 
love  him.  It  grew  harder  every  minute.  She  wonder- 
ed if  she  had  encouraged  him  unwittingly;  if  she  was 
to  blame  in  any  way  for  the  pain  she  must  cause. 

They  stopped  in  the  path  at  the  end  of  a  little 
bridge  that  spanned  a  ravine. 

"Mr.  Loring,"  she  said,  forcing  the  words  lest  he 
should  mistake  her  silence,  "let  me  go  back  to  the 
hotel  now.  Tomorrow  I  will  tell  you  what  you  wish 
to  know." 

"And  in  the  meantime  I  may — hope  ?" 

She  looked  him  full  in  the  eyes,  with  new  found 
strength.  "You  must  not,"  she  answered. 

"  Don't  say  that !"  He  paled  as  he  uttered  the  words. 
"Think  of  it  a  little  longer.  My  proposition  was  sud- 
den— unexpected  perhaps.  Take  till  tomorrow  to 
consider  it,  as  you  said." 

"Very  well."  She  uttered  the  words  calmly,  trying 
not  to  say  them  coldly.  "Tomorrow,  then/' 

"And  for  today,"  said  he,  trying  to  speak  more 
•brightly,  "we  will  forget  that  I  have  tried  to  be  any- 
thing more  to  you  than  a  good  friend  and  companion. 
Let  us  continue  our  walk  to  the  spring." 


210  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

But  she  said  she  thought  she  would  prefe?  to  go 
back.  She  pointed  to  Mr.  Muller,  who  was  coming 
from  the  direction  of  the  hotel.  "I  will  get  Mr.  Love- 
joy's  secretary  to  escort  me  and  you  can  continue  your 
walk.  Good-bye,  for  today." 

She  offered  him  her  hand,  thoughtlessly,  and  regret- 
ted the  aot  when  he  pressed  it  gently  to  his  lips.  Then 
he  left  her  and  walked  across  the  bridge  rapidly. 

"Will  you  please  escort  me  back  to  the  hotel  ?"  she 
asked  Carl  when  he  came  up. 

They  walked  along  together  in  silence  for  some 
moments.  Then  she  asked  him  if  he  could  keep  a 
secret  and,  when  he  started  from  the  revery  into  which 
he  had  fallen,  she  continued,  "  Mr.  Loring  has  just 
asked  me  to  be  his  wife." 

He  stopped  stockstill  in  the  path.  So  this  was  to  be 
the  end ! 

"He  seems  a  very  excellent  gentleman,"  he  forced 
himself  to  say. 

Good  Heavens !  he  must  say  something ! 

"I  have  no  doubt  he  is  a  very  excellent  gentleman," 
she  answered,  "but  I  did  not  accept  him." 

"You  did  not !" 

He  felt  like  falling  on  his  knees  and  thanking  Gdd — 
and  yet  he  did  not  know  why.  She  was  not  for  him 
and  never  could  be.  Why  might  she  not  as  well  marry 
Mr.  Loring  as  another? 

"  No,  I  told  him  I  would  give  my  answer  to- 
morrow," she  said,  demurely.  "It  is  not  nice  for  a 
girl  to  think  of  being  an  old  maid.  And  if  no  one  she 
— really  loves — offers  himself  to  her,  sfhe  must  con- 
sider what  proposals  she  receives." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  21 1 

He  had  recovered  from  his  first  shock  and  was  walk- 
ing so  rapidly  that  Amy  was  being  left  behind. 

"Aren't  you  going  to  take  me  to  tfhe  hotel?"  she 
called  after  him ;  and  he  retraced  his  steps,  saying  with 
reddening  cheek,  "I  beg  your  pardon." 

"Papa  does  not  want  me  to  marry  a  foreigner — 
that's  one  trouble,"  sHie  continued,  as  they  walked 
along.  "But  Mr.  Loring  isn't  a  duke,  that's  something 
in  his  favor.  Papa  would  rather  I  married  an  Ameri- 
can without  a  penny — of  course  one  of  good  reputa- 
tion— 'than  the  greatest  prince  in  Europe.  But  a  girl 
cant  marry  a  man  who  doesn't  ask  her ;  can  s!he  ?" 

He  was  dumb  as  a  sheep  before  its  slhearers.  He 
could  think  of  nothing  to  say.  He  wanted  dreadfully 
to  escape  from  her  presence,  but  she  loitered  pur- 
posely. 

"I  don't  know  what  to  do,"  she  went  on,  half  to  her- 
self. "Mamma  and  I  never  hold  the  same  views  about 
anything,  so  there's  not  much  use  in  consulting  her. 
OMie  is  a  dear  child,  but  She  has  plans  for  me  of  her 
own  and  is  prejudiced.  Billy  is  entirely  useless.  I 
wish  someone  would  help  me." 

She  looked  shyly  into  his  face,  but  the  idea  that  he 
could  be  the  "someone"  she  meant  never  entered  his 
mind.  And  was  he  not  as  prejudiced  as  Olive  Thorn, 
if  it  came  to  that? 

"You're  awfully  duli  to-day,"  she  said  presently, 
when  he  did  not  speak. 

"Ye*;,"  he  assented,  gloomily.  "I  am  dull  to-day. 
1  always  am  dull.  I  can't  help  it." 

He  uttered  these  words  whh  strained  pauses  be- 


212  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

tween  the  sentences.  When  they  readied  the  hotel 
entrance  he  left  her  abruptly. 

Amy  went  straight  to  her  mother.  "Mr.  Loring 
has  asked  me  to  marry  him,"  she  said,  simply. 

"Impudence!"  cried  Mrs.  Van.  "What  did  you 
say?  I  hope  you  gave  him  your  opinion  of  his  con- 
duct?" 

"I  told  him  I  would  give  him  an  answer  to-morrow." 

"I'll  give  it  to  him  to-day  if  /  see  him,"  retorted 
the  mother,  spitefully.  "I  never  heard  anything  so 
ridiculous.  A  common,  ordinary  man  to  aspire  to  a 
girl  with  your  prospects!" 

"I  guess  you'd  better  leave  him  to  me,"  smiled  her 
daughter,  pointedly.  "My  answer  will  be  the  same  as 
yours  and  perhaps  a  little  more  considerate." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  213 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

A  REAL  ENGLISH  LORD  AT  LAST. 

IKAO  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  towns  in  Japan, 
which  is  giving  it  high  praise;  for  the  country  is  full 
of  picturesque  places,  which  the  hurried  traveler  from 
the  Occident  too  seldom  takes  time  to  see.  The  or- 
dinary way  is  to  leave  the  steamer  at  Yokohama,  run 
over  to  Tokyo  for  a  day  or  two,  then  to  Nikko — 
everybody  goes  to  Nikko — then  to  Myanoshita,  and 
after  that  a  long  jump  by  train  to  Kyoto.  Then  the 
quickest  way  is  chosen  to  Kobe  and  the  most  delight- 
ful of  lands  if  left  behind  by  misguided  people  who 
imagine  they  have  "seen  Japan."  The  real  Japan  is 
not  to  be  found  along  the  lines  of  railway  nor  in  the 
large  seaports.  It  can  only  be  reached  on  foot  or 
horseback  and  the  voyager  who  is  afraid  of  leaving 
luxurious  hotels  never  "sees  Japan"  at  all. 

And  yet  even  Ikao  can  be  reached  with  very  little 
trouble.  If  you  are  at  Tokyo,  for  instance,  you  may 
take  a  train  at  half-past  eight  in  the  morning  and  ar- 
rive at  Maebashi  at  one.  After  crossing  the  village 
you  will  find  at  the  other  end  an  extremely  primitive 
tram,  by  which  you  can  reaah  Shibukawa  at  half-past 
three.  From  here  to  Ikao  two  coolies  will  pull  you  in 
a  'ricksha  up  a  steep  and  sandy  road  in  two  or  three 
hours  and  you  are  hi  a  bit  of  the  real  Japan  at  last. 


214  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

The  friends  in  whom  we  are  just  now  interested 
did  not  reach  Ikao  in  this  manner,  however,  but  in  one 
requiring  much  more  effort.  They  came  on  horseback 
from  Chuzenji  through  Ashio,  entailing  a  hard  moun- 
tain ride,  and  compelling  them  also  to  spend  a  night 
at  a  very  poor  native  hotel.  Mrs.  Van  Steuben  is  not 
to  be  wholly  blamed  that  one  day  at  an  inn  of  that 
kind  was  quite  enough  for  her.  The  only  bed's  ob- 
tainable were  made  by  spreading  quilts  on  the  bare 
floor  and  the  provisions  were  merely  sudh  as  the  trav- 
elers had  brought  with  them.  A  large  number  of  fleas, 
apparently  kept  for  the  purpose  and  trained  to  their 
duties,  went  to  work  promptly  and  never  stopped  to 
rest  during  the  night.  There  were  also  other  discom- 
forts which  it  is  not  necessary  to  mention,  calculated 
to  damp  the  soul  of  a  lady  even  less  squeamish  than 
was  Mrs.  Van. 

"  If  I  get  out  of  this  place  alive,"  she  remarked 
many  times  during  that  trip,  "it's  the  last  one  of  the 
kind  you'll  ever  catch  me  in." 

Mrs.  Young,  in  her  capacity  as  Echo,  joined  heartily 
in  these  sentiments.  The  only  wholly  happy  people  in 
the  party  were  Angel  and  Seraph,  who  found  enough 
pleasure  in  the  discomforts  of  other  people  to  forget 
their  own.  Both  of  these  precocious  infants  had  to 
(stuff  the  ends  of  their  nightrobes  in  their  mouths  to 
keep  from  screaming  with  delight  at  each  moan  that 
came  through  the  paper  partition  that  divided  them 
from  Mrs.  Van.  Even  Amy  came  down  rather  cross 
in  the  morning,  as  she  did  not  enjoy  being  bitten,  and 
Olive  admitted  to  having  had  her  full  share  of  trouble 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  215 

with  the  voracious  insects.  Everybody's  wrath  was  di- 
rected against  the  mild  Mr.  Lovejoy,  who  had  somehow 
mislaid  the  "flea  powder"  which  he  had  undertaken  to 
provide,  but  as  the  remarks  were  somewhat  modified 
on  account  of  his  sacred  profession  he  was  blissfully 
unaware  of  their  full  significance. 

"I  slept  very  well  indeed,  thank  you,"  he  remarked 
to  Mrs.  Van's  sarcastic  inquiry  on  that  point. 

"Slept!"  she  echoed.  "Do  you  mean  to  say  you 
slept,  with  a  thousand  fleas  running  over  your  body  ?" 

"I  did  not  notice  them,"  he  replied,  with  one  of  his 
benignant  smiles. 

"I've  got  One  bite  as  big  as  a  Mexican  dollar,"  put 
in  Mrs.  Young,  in  a  vigorous  "aside."  "Not  notice 
them,  indeed!" 

"A  Mexican  dollar  is  only  worth  forty-five  cents  in 
American  money,"  remarked  her  son,  soothingly.  "So 
you  see  it's  not  as  bad  as  it  seems." 

"That  must  have  been  the  'wicked  flea'  that  'no  man 
pursueth,' "  said  Seraph,  with  a  look  that  left  the  be- 
holder in  doubt  whether  she  was  or  was  not  cross- 
eyed. 

Mrs.  Van  took  occasion  to  ask  her  daughter,  when 
they  were  again  on  the  road,  if  she  thought  sihe  would 
care  for  any  more  of  the  interior  of  Japan  after  that 
night's  experience,  and  she  said  it  in  a  tone  which 
showed  what  answer  she  expecte'd. 

"Why,  certainly,"  was  the  response.  "If  that  dd 
ninny  of  a  Lovejoy  hadn't  forgotten  the  flea  powder 
everything  would  have  been  lovely.  I  like  the  pic- 
nicking immensely,  the  hard  beds,  the  cold  lunches  and 


2l6  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

the  horseback  riding.  I'm  going  over  a  lot  more  of 
this  country  before  I  leave  it." 

"You'll  have  to  go  without  me,  then,"  sard  her 
mother.  "I  call  this  sort  of  travel  unfit  for  any  decent 
human  being." 

Amy  saw  her  opportunity  and  made  good  use  of  it. 

"Oh,  mamma,  you  must  go,  just  on  a  few  more 
trips,"  sihe  coaxed.  "There's  a  lovely  one  I  read  of 
in  the  guide  book,  that  leads  around  the  volcano  of 
Fu  j  iyama " 

"I  sihould  think  you'd  want  a  few  more  volcanoes !" 
was  the  ironical  reply.  "Oh,  yes,  I  should  love  to  go 
there  above  all  things." 

"But  this  volcano  hasn't  been  active  for  a  century 
or  two,"  broke  in  Billy,  who  was  ridling  near  the 
speakers. 

"I  wouldn't  trust  one  of  them,"  said  his  mother. 
"If  you  and  Amy  want  to  commit  suicide  you'd  better 
take  some  easier  way.  Remember  Mr.  Meyer's — I 
mean  Mullet's — adopted  father,  buried  in  the  lava  on 
Hawaii." 

Billy  here  admitted  that  he  had  seen  all  the  vol- 
canoes he  wanted  to  for  the  next  fifty  years.  As  his 
sister  made  no  remark  at  the  time,  Mrs.  Van  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  matter  would  end  there  and 
dismissed  it  from  her  mind. 

The  inn  at  Ikao,  tine  "Kimdayo,"  was  so  prettily  sit- 
uated anld  so  well  kept  tihat  all  of  the  party — except 
Mrs.  Van  and  Mrs.  Young,  who  were  determined  not 
tb  be  satisfied  with  anything,  and  Mr.  Loring,  who 
was  in  a  dejected  state  over  the  contents  of  a  note  he 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  217 

had  received  on  the  day  following  his  proposal  of  mar- 
riage— became  quite  enthusiastic  over  it.  The  town 
itself  has  for  its  principal  "street"  a  flight  of  broad 
stone  stairs,  of  an  easy  grade,  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  in  length.  This  stairway  runs  from  the  bottom  of 
a  valley,  where  rice  meadow's  stretch  far  away  to  the 
mountains  beyond,  to  a  Buddhist  Temple  on  the  hills 
above  the  village.  Along  both  sides  of  the  steps  are 
numerous  residences  and  shops,  and  hot  springs  which 
gush  out  of  the  hillside  have  their  waters  conducted  in- 
to hundreds  of  private  bathhouses.  These  baths  are 
commended  as  cures  for  many  diseases,  and,  as  this  was 
the  height  of  the  season,  the  place  was  crowded  with 
well-to-do  people. 

The  effect  of  the  brightly-arrayed  natives  continual- 
ly ascending  and  decending  the  steps  was  a  reminder 
of  the  escalier  of  the  Piazza,  di  Spagna  in  Rome,  but 
much  more  entertaining.  Angel  said  it  made  him 
think  of  his  namesakes  on  Jacob's  Ladder.  Amy  and 
Olive  haunted  the  vicinity,  delighted  with  everything 
tihey  saw. 

There  were  tiny  women,  in  kimonos  and  obis,  with 
their  hair  in  the  regulation  fashion,  stuck  through 
with  daggers ;  bright  slippers  on  baby  feet  usually  bare 
of  hosiery;  odd-looking  men  and  doll-like  children. 
Amy  divided  her  time  also  between  the  goods  offered 
for  sale  at  the  shops  and  the  magnificent  view.  She 
left  Olive  a  good  deal  to  Capt.  Thorn,  thinking  they 
must  be  glad  to  be  alone  after  their  long  separation. 
Mr.  Loring  kept  to  his  room,  on  the  plea  that  he  had 
letters  to  write,  an'd  the  others  disposed  of  themselves 
according  to  their  various  fancies. 


2l8  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

When  they  had  been  at  Ikao  but  a  few  days  a  con- 
tinuous rain  that  lasted  nearly  a  week  drove  them  in- 
doors. But  even  then  Amy  was  happy.  She  declared 
that  nothing  could  be  pleasanter  than  sitting  in  the 
glass-enclosed  balconies  which  opened  from  the  rooms. 
Across  the  immense  plain  tihe  prettiest  effects  were 
visible.  First  came  the  red  roofs  of  the  houses,  one  be- 
low the  other  as  the  ground  descended.  Streams  of 
hot  water  flowing  on  their  mission  of  utility  and  health 
sent  up  clouds  of  steam.  When  the  little  rivers  had 
finished  visiting  the  bathhouses  they  swept  through 
long  chutes  and  turned  the  wfaeels  of  a  number  of  rice 
mills  ere  they  made  their  final  plunge  into  the  valley 
and  became  part  of  the  larger  stream  there. 

So  full  of  running  water  is  Japan  that  the  traveler 
can  hardly  get  out  of  sound  of  its  musical  flow  from 
one  end  of  the  green  land  to  the  other.  The  height 
of  Fujiyama — most  beautiful  of  isolated  mountains — 
could  be  seen  from  the  hotel,  its  top  now  crowned  witfh 
the  first  snow  of  the  season.  And  most  impressive  of 
all,  masses  of  fleecy  white  clouds  hung  like  a  curtain 
over  the  emerald  landscape,  changing  their  location 
and  forms  with  every  movement  of  the  breeze. 

Carl  Mu'ller  paid  little  attention  to  these  sights. 
Not  only  had  he  witnessed  them  all  before,  but  his 
mind  was  occupied  with  the  confidence  Miss  Van 
Steuben  had  given  him,  by  the  lake  at  Chuzenji,  in 
reference  to  Mr.  Loring.  He  had  no  means  of  know- 
ing the  purport  of  the  "answer"  she  had  given  on  the 
Bay  following  her  reference  to  the  matter.  He  no- 
ticed the  absorption  of  the  Englishman  and  his  with- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS  219 

drawal  from  t!he  young  lady's  society,  but  was  not 
sure  what  this  might  signify.  Possibly  it  was  only  a 
ruse  to  disarm  the  suspicions  of  Mrs.  Van  until  Amy 
could  write  to  her  father  and  obtain  his  consent  to  an 
open  announcement. 

But  what  had  she  meant  by  her  veiled  references  to 
"noone  she  liked  better"  offering  himself?  Wasshein 
love  with  Capt.  Thorn,  or  was  there  some  one  he  had 
never  head  of — in  Honolulu,  or  perhaps  in  California? 
Notwithstanding  his  own  pain,  he  was  inexpressibly 
sorry  for  her.  If  she  really  cared  for  another  man  it 
was  simply  terrible  to  think  of  her  accepting  Mr.  Lor- 
ing.  The  rule  that  compelled  a  young  woman  to  wait 
for  the  momentous  question  must  result  sometimes  in 
the  greatest  mistake  she  could  make. 

While  the  rain  lasted  the  small  list  of  books  which 
the  tourists  had  -with  them  was  drawn  upon  to  the 
full.  Every  stray  newspaper  printed  in  English  was 
read  with  eagerness,  as  food  is  guarded  and  doled  out 
on  a  derelict  steamer.  The  proprietor  of  the  Kindayo 
Hotel,  a  bright  Japanese  who  spoke  English  with  con- 
siderable fluency,  brought  to  the  parlor  one  evening  a 
package  of  Yokohama  papers  of  recent  date,  which 
were  received  with  many  manifestations  of  pleasure. 
Each  guest  took  a  part  of  the  "treasure-trove"  and 
silence  fell  on  the  group. 

"Listen,  everybody!"  cried  Amy,  suddenly,  spring- 
ing to  her  feet  with  her  newspaper  in  hand  and  going 
closer  to  the  hanging  lamp.  "Here  is  news  that  you'll 
all  want  to  hear."  CAnd  she  re^d  alodd :), 


22O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

The  Court  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  which  was  referred 
the  last  will  of  the  wealthy  Peter  Meyer,  who  per- 
ished in  the  eruption  at  Hawaii,  has  disallowed  the 
same,  it  being  proved  that  the  will  was  executed 
•while  the  testator  was  in  an  unsound  state  of  mind. 
A  previous  will,  bequeathing  nearly  the  whole  of 
die  estate,  estimated  at  over  $500,000,  to  an  adopted 
son  named  Carl  Muller,  though  generally  called  Carl 
Meyer,  has  been  accepted,  and  the  property  is  now 
awaiting  the  rightful  heir.  As  Mr.  Muller  is  visiting 
Japan  with  a  party  of  Americans  we  hope  that  this 
paragraph  will  be  the  means  of  conveying  to  him  the 
pleasant  news. 

A  visible  sensation  passed  through  the  room  as  the 
girl  read  these  words.  For  some  seconds  after  she 
finished  nobody  spoke.  All  looked  straight  at  Carl, 
whose  face  wore  an  expression  compounded  of  sur- 
prise, doubt  and  grief.  Mr.  Lovejoy  was  the  first  to 
congratulate  him.  Rising  from  his  chair,  which  hap- 
pened to  be  next  to  that  of  the  young  man,  he  placed 
"his  hand  in  a  fatherly  way  on  his  shoulder. 

"You  are  righted  at  last,  my  dear  boy,"  he  said, 
impressively.  "I  shall  lose  a  companion,  but  you  will 
regain  your  true  place  in  the  world." 

"I  am  not  sure  I  shall  accept  this  decision,"  replied 
Carl,  firmly,  though  he  grew  pale  and  red  by  turns. 

"Not  accept  it!"  exclaimed  Billy,  who  had  at  last 
found  his  tongue.  "Not  accept  it!  What  do  you 
mean  ?" 

"Don't  interrupt  him,"  said  the  sister,  impatiently, 
as  she  leaned  forward  with  the  others  awaiting  the 
explanation. 

Carl's  brain  had  begun  to  grow  dizzy.    His  throat 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  321 

filled  arid  he  could  not  speak.  The  memories  that 
^  thronged  upon  him  unmanned  his  stout  heart. 

"Excuse  me — •£ or  the  present,"  he  said  hoarsely ;  and 
as  he  left  the  room  every  person  rose  involuntarily. 
Yes,  even  Mrs.  Young  and  Mrs.  Van. 

"Well,  I  never  heard  anything  like  that."  (This 
was  Billy,  of  course.)  "I  thought  he'd  just  jump  up 
to  the  ceiling  with  joy." 

"Oh,  Billy,  did  you  think  he'd  lost  all  his  fine  feel- 
ings, just  because  he's  had  to  take  a  salary  for  a  few 
months !" 

Amy  spoke  with  indignant  reproach. 

"He  evidently  had  a  very  deep  affection  for  Mr. 
Meyer,"  put  in  Capt.  Thorn.  "No  amount  of  material 
wealth  can  make  him  forget  the  unhappy  events  which 
alienated  his  friend." 

Amy  looked  her  gratitude,  which  was  reward 
enough  for  Thorn.  Olive  came  to  her  side  and  grasp- 
ed her  hand.  Soon  after  the  party  broke  up.  Amy 
paused  a  minute  on  the  staircase  to  ask  Mr.  Lovejoy 
in  a  whisper  w*hat  he  thought  Carl's  decision  would  be. 

"I've  no  means  of  guessing,"  he  answered.  "A  little 
selfishness  comes  into  my  view  of  the  caise.  I  should 
be  very  sorry  to  have  him  leave  me." 

The  girl  started. 

"Could  he  not  continue  with  us,  even  if  he  accepts 
the  money,  as  an  independent  traveller?"  she  asked, 
with  suppressed  eagerness.  "It  woiild  not  be  absolute- 
ly necessary  for  him  to  return  to  America  now.  He 
could  signify  his  acceptance  by  letter  and  you  could 
advance  him  any  money  he  needs." 


222  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

The  clergyman  dwelt  musingly  on  the  suggestion. 

"He  has  seen  all  the  countries  we  intend  visiting," 
he  said  finally,  "and  I  don't  suppose  would  care  to  go 
over  them  so  soon  again.  No,  tihere  is  no  reason  why 
he  should  stay.  There's  nothing  in  this  part  of  the 
world  he  cares  for." 

She  turned  away,  saying  gvx>d-night  in  a  husky 
voice.  And  the  picturesque  hotel  on  the  hillside  over 
which  the  full  moon  watched  lovingly — perhaps  pity- 
ingly— was  soon  quiet. 

The  next  day  Carl  asked  Mr.  Lovejoy  if  he  could 
spare  him  for  a  few  hours,  and  was  told  to  consider 
himself  at  full  liberty.  His  fellow  travelers  saw  him 
wander  off  toward  the  solitudes.  He  wanted  to  think 
out  his  great  problem  with  nothing  but  his  own  Soul 
to  guide  him.  When  he  did  not  return  at  noon  nor 
even  at  dinner  time,  no  apprehension  was  felt,  as  there 
are  plenty  of  teajhouses  among  the  hills  where  light 
refreshments  may  be  obtained. 

A  mail  whidh  arrived  helped  to  break  the  monotony. 
Among  the  letters  received  was  one  Which  seemed  to 
worry  Capt.  Thorn  a  great  deal.  He  told  his  sister 
hurriedly  fhat  financial  matters  required  his  presence 
in  Yokdhama  and  started  immediately  for  that  city. 
He  said,  however,  that  he  expected  to  return  in  a 
few  days,  and  kissed  her  affectiomiartely  at  parting. 

There  was  one  person  at  the  hotel  w?ho  thoug'ht  of  a 
way  to  lessen  the  dullness.  This  wais  MTS.  Van  Steu- 
ben,  in  whose  mind  tihere  still  rankled  bitterly  the 
statement  that  Mr.  Loring  had  asked  Amy  to  be  his 
wife.  Her  resolution  to  "have  it  out  with  him"  was 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  223 

warmly  seconded  by  Mrs.  Young,  wihen  tihe  affair  was 
unbosomed  to  her  in  one  of  those  confidences  that 
women  love.  Mrs.  Young  protested  tihat  it  was  the 
most  outrageous  breach  of  hospitality  she  had  ever 
heard  of.  Indeed  she  would  give  the  fellow  a  piece  of 
her  mind,  if  she  was  the  injured  mother.  She  would 
not  mince  her  words,  either.  She  would  tell  him  that, 
after  what  had  happened,  his  room  was  better  tflran  his 
company. 

An  opportunity  came  late  in  the  afternoon,  when 
Amy  and  Olive  had  gone  out  for  a  stroll  with  Ld'sette, 
Amy's  maid,  for  chaperone,  through  the  village.  Mr. 
Loring,  having  been  watched  for  carefully,  was  de- 
tected in  one  of  the  hallways  and  beguiled  into  Mrs. 
Van's  parlor,  like  a  fly  into  that  of  a  spider.  Having 
got  him  fairly  cornered  the  lady  losK:  no  time  in  giving 
him  her  opinion  of  what  he  had  done. 

"My  daughter  begged  me  not  to  refer  to  the  sub- 
ject," she  said  in  closing  a  very  warm  arraignment, 
"but  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  ask  you  to  pursue  your  jour- 
ney without  us.  It  will  not  be  agreeable  to  travel  with 
a  man  who  could  so  far  forget  himself.  When  Miss 
Van  Steuben  marries  she  will  be  able  to  select  her 
husband  from  the  highest  circles.  I  should  have  sup- 
posed you  would  realize  that  and  save  us  this  humilia- 
tion." 

Mr.  Loring  bowed,  with  the  never-failing  good  man- 
ners for  which  he  had  always  been  conspicuous,  though 
his  cheek  burned  at  the  blunft  speech. 

"I  will  certainly  obey  your  request,"  he  said  in  a  firm 
yoke.  "But  in  justice  to  myself  I  ask  you  to  listen  to 


224  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

a  statement  which  may  in  some  cbgree  mitigate  you* 
anger  toward  me.  May  I  proceed?" 

Half  turning  from  him  Mrs.  Van  remarked  flippantly 
that  he  could  say  anything  he  pleased,  but  he  must  un- 
derstand in  advance  that  it  would  not  have  tfhe  slight- 
est effect  on  her  decision. 

"In  the  first  place,  then,"  he  began,  "my  name  is 
not  Somerset  Loring,  but  Loring  Somerset.  I  am  the 
eldest  son  and  heir  of  Lord  Somerset  of  Dorsetshire, 
and  descended  on  both  my  father  and  motiher's  side 
from  old  and  highly-connected  families.  In  due  time 
I  shall  become  not  only  a  member  of  the  British  Hbusa 
of  Lords  but  very  wealthy.  I  thought,  in  the  circum- 
stances, that  I  was  justified  in  aspiring  to  the  hand  of 
a  young  lady  whose  ancestors  have  mot,  I  believe,  been 
higfhly  conspicuous  in  the  history  of  their  country." 

Mrs.  Van  told  Mrs.  Young  afterwards  that  she 
thought  she  should  faint.  She  fumbled  in  her  dress 
pocket  for  her  smelling  salts,  but  could  not  find  them. 
Was  there  ever  such  a  dreadful  mistake! 

"I  beg  your  pardon  most  sincerely,  my  lord,"  she 
exclaimeki,  as  soon  as  she  could  find  strength.  "I  am 
ooveired  with  confusion.  Why  has  all  this  been  con- 
cealed until  now  ?" 

"Because,"  he  replied,  eyeing  her  fixedly,  "I  want- 
ed to  win  your  beautiful  child  in  such  a  way  that  I 
coufld  fed  she  had  accepted  me  for  myself.  I  thought 
the  prejudice  of  her  father  against  rank  might  be  over- 
dome  in  time  if  he  knew  me  first  as  a  plain  citizen.  I 
ami  very  sorry  for  what  has  happened.  Although  Miss 
Amy  declined  my  proposal  I  had  sitill  hoped  that  time 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  22$ 

might  iriduce  her  to  change  her  decision.  With  your 
prejudice  against  me  it  is  evident  I  can  have  no  hope. 
I  will  leave  here  tomorrow,  Mrs.  Van  Steuben,  and 
can  only  trust  that  my  explanation  will  lessen  your 
severe  opinion  of  my  conduct." 

Mrs.  Van  hastened  to  get  between  her  victim  and 
the  door. 

"Indeed,  my  lord,  you  will  do  nothing  of  tihe  kind !" 
she  exclaimed.  "I  beg  you  to  forget  all  I  have  said 
and  continue  our  companion  and  friend.  My  lord, 
I  entreat  you !  I  shall  never  forgive  mysdf  if  you  do 
not  remain." 


226  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPrER  XXIII. 

"IT  WAS  HIS  SPIRIT/' 

THE  decision  of  Carl  MuHer  in  relation  to  his  in- 
heritance was  never  in  any  serious  doubt.  His  feelings 
toward  his  adopted  uncle  were  so  tender,  his  hurt  so 
deep,  that  he  could  not  bring  himself  to  accept  any  part 
of  the  large  fortune  his  friend  had  left.  There  were 
many  reasons  why  a  tidy  sum  of  money  would  have 
been  very  welcome  to  him  just  then;  and  he  thought 
'these  over  with  a  fainting  heart,  during  tine  long  hours 
he  passed  alone  in  the  hills  above  Ikao. 

His  position  as  an  underling  in  the  party  with  Amy 
Van  Steuben  nearly  drove  him  to  madness.  Notwith- 
standing Mr.  Lovejoy's  unfailing  kindness  and  the 
outward  consideration  with  which  he  was  treated  by 
most  of  the  others,  he  fek  that  he  was  something 
lower  than  a  gentleman,  something  but  little  higher 
than  a  valet.  It  was  not  tihat  he  despised  his  position 
in  itself,  but  because  the  woman  he  madly  loved  had 
degraded  him  so  far  as  to  pity  his  sad  plight.  In  her 
presence  he  was  at  the  extreme  of  mental  misery. 
The  shackles  which  compelled  him  to  march  like  a 
serf  in  her  train  were  becoming  unbearable. 

Ah!  how  different  if  instead  of  a  paid  companion 
lo  a  doddering  old  dunce  (it  was  thus  he  denominated 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  227 

Mr.  Love  joy  in  his  distress)  he  were  a  gentleman  of 
fortune,  counted  for  what  he  believed  himself  in- 
herently to  be!  Witih  as  much  money  as  was  now 
offered  him  he  might  even  aspire  to 

The  agony  of  the  trial !  But  he  never  for  a  moment 
wavered  from  his  rigid  determination.  He  would  not 
assist  in  altering  the  disposition  Peter  Meyer  had  made 
of  his  estate,  whether  at  the  time  he  signed  that  paper 
he  was  sane  or  insane.  It  would  be  sacrilege  to  alter 
the  last  wishes — the  almost  dying  wishes — of  the 
truest  friend  he  had  ever  known. 

Not  until  it  was  nearly  midnight  did  Carl  rouse 
himself  from  his  revery  and  rise  from  the  ground 
where  he  had  flung  himself  long  before  noon.  The 
thought  of  food  had  not  come  to  him  during  that 
long  day*  and  though  faint  now  from  abstinence  it  did 
not  occur  to  his  mind  that  hunger  was  the  cause.  He 
stood  up,  stretched  his  arms  above  his  head  and  turn- 
ing to  the  crescent  moon  overhead  cried  aloud — 

"I  will  not  do  it!  I  will  work  at  any  honest  em- 
ployment, starve  if  .need  be,  but  I  will  never  touch 
a  penny  of  that  money !" 

Strange  hallucinations  sometimes  come  to  fevered 
and  overwrought  mind's.  Before  the  startled  vision 
of  the  young  mam  a  sliadowy  figure  was  outlined  on 
tihe  hill  at  some  distance  above  him.  As  he  gazed  he 
saw  that  it  bore  an  astounding  resemblance  to  his  de- 
ceased foster  parent.  Its  arms  were  stretched  toward 
him,  in  an  attitude  similar  to  his  own.  In  tihe  weird 
play  of  the  moonlight  he  thought  tihe  familiar  features 
awfully  distinct. 


228  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

A  cloud  passed  across  the  face  erf  the  Queen  of 
Night  and  when  Carl  rubbed  his  eyes  again  and  peered 
into  the  shadow  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen.  He 
stood  a  moment  trembling,  not  from  fear,  but  w&h  a 
still  deeper  emotion.  Then  he  fell  on  his  knees  and 
murmured  a  prayer. 

"It  was  his  spirit!"  he  said,  reverently,  as  he  took 
his  slow  way  back  to  the  hotel.  "He  came  to  tell  me 
I  had  decided  well." 

He  was  perhaps  as  free  from  superstition  as  a  man 
could  be  who  had  never  given  a  moment's  thought  to 
supernatural  phenomena.  He  only  knew  what  he  had 
witnessed,  or  what  he  thought  he  had  witnessed,  if  that 
pleases  the  critical  reader  better.  The  affair  did  not 
interfere  with  his  rest  that  night,  nor  alter  his  con- 
duct in  any  way;  neither  did  he  consider  it  a  matter 
to  be  referred  to  in  conversation  with  the  people  about 
him. 

Everything  connected  with  his  deceased  friend  was 
sacred.  He  had  felt  no  more  alarm  at  sight  of  Meyer's 
wraith  than  he  would  have  felt  at  his  living  presence. 
It  was  evident  from  Lin/das'  statement  that  the  old 
genffleman's  mind  had  become  unhinged  from  very 
love  of  him.  And  though  his  blood  tingled  and  his 
hands  clenched  themselves  involuntarily  when  he 
thought  of  Marcus'  deception,  he  had  for  hfe  victim 
only  the  tender  feeling  of  a  son. 

Mr.  Love  joy  wisely  let  him  take  his  own  time  to 
decide  what  he  would  do,  though  Amy  came  fre- 
quently to  ask  the  result,  with  an  anxiety  she  could 
not  hide.  On  the  third  day  Carl  announced  his  deci- 
sion, in  the  briefest  manner: 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  229 

"I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  tihat  I  wiil  accept 

nothing  from  the  Meyer  estate  and  have  writtein  to 
that  effect  to  Mr.  Uhrig,  asking  him  to  mail  me  any 
documents  whidh  I  ought  to  sign." 

The  minister  murmured  that  he  was  glad  he  was 
not  to  lose  his  valued  companion. 

"But,"  continued  Carl,  "I  have  decided  also  to  ask 
you  to  release  me  from  my  contract.  I  am  at  last  out 
of  your  debt  and  there  are  strong  reasons,  entirely 
unconnected  with  yourself,  which  make  me  desire  a 
different  position." 

For  some  time  Mr.  Lovejoy  did  not  speak.  He 
seemed  completely  nonplussed. 

"You  have  a  more  lucrative  place  in  view,  I  pre- 
sume," he  said,  when  he  found  his  voice.  "I  can 
readily  see  tihat  having — very  correctly,  it  seems  to 
me,  from  your  standpoint — concluded  to  earn  ycnir 
living  permanently,  such  a  position  as  mine  can  have 
few  attractions.  Would  you  mind  telling  me,  as  one 
who  has  some  title  to  call  himself  yotif  friend,  wihat 
you  intend  to  do?" 

Carl  stammered  that  he  had  secured  nothing  as  yet. 

"Why,  then,  must  you  leave  me  so  suddenly?"  in- 
terrupted Mr.  Lovejoy.  "Is  it  not  better  to  continue 
to  draw  your  salary  until  you  are  sure  of  something 
better?  I  will  increase  it,  if  you  wish,  until  that  time 
comes,  adding,  say,  $25  a  month  to  what  you  now  re- 
ceive. Japan  is  not  the  best  place  for  a  young  man 
to  find  a  good  position  at  short  notice  unless  he  has 
influential  backing." 

To  this  Carl  replied  that  he  hoped  his  conduct  had 


230  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

not  seemed  ungrateful.  He  appreciated  the  kindness 
he  had  received,  but  desired  to  obtain  a  place  with 
some  business  house  as  soon  as  he  could  possibly  do 
so. 

With  the  prospect  of  losing  the  member  of  tihe  party 
to  Whom  all  arrangement  had  been  entrusted,  Mr. 
Lovejoy  thought  he  ought  to  tell  Carl's  decision  to 
Mrs.  Van  Steuben.  It  happened  that  Amy  and  Mrs. 
Young  were  in  her  parlor  at  the  time  and  the  effect  of 
the  announcement  on  eadh  of  the  ladies  is  worthy  of 
notice. 

"I  hope  he  won't  leave  us  in  the  lurdh,"  said  Mrs. 
Van,  "but  I  suppose  he  will  No  matter  how  kind 
one  is  to  servants  they  only  think  of  themselves." 

"Mother!"  broke  in  Amy's  indignant  voice.  "You 
have  no  right  to  use  a  term  like  that  in  speaking  of 
Mr.  Muiler!  He  is  a  gentleman  who  has  shown  the 
highest  sense  of  honor.  It  is  an  outrage  to  speak  of 
him  as  if  he  were  a  common  laborer !" 

"A  person  who  works  for  wages  is  a  servant,"  her 
mother  replied,  stiffly.  "Mr.  Meyer — I  mean  Muiler 
— is  no  different  as  I  see  from  anybody  else.  We  have 
got  used  to  him  and  he  knows  our  wanlbs ;  if  he  leaves 
vrs  I  say  again  it  simply  shows  the  ingratitude  of  his 
class." 

The  lady  was  becoming  slightly  excited,  as  sftie  al- 
ways did  wlhen  an  argument  grew  warm,  and  Mrs. 
Young  sympathetically  handed  her  a  smelling-bottle. 

"Don't  get  nervous,"  murmured  the  widow,  in  a 
tone  which  implied  that  sihe  fully  agreed  with  her 
friend.  "You  can  get  a  courier  quite  as  good  at  a 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  23! 

day's  notice,  by  sending  to  Yokohama.  Ahd  one  who 
won't  think  himself  above  his  duties,  eitiher,"  sftie  add- 
ed in  an  undertone. 

Amy  sprang  to  her  feet. 

"Will  you  be  good  enough,  Mrs.  Young,"  she  de- 
manded, with  flashing  eyes,  "as  I  have  asked  you 
more  than  once  before,  not  to  interfere  in  conversa 
tions  between  my  motiher  and  me?  I  don't  see  the 
difference,  myself,"  she  added,  wkfli  cutting  sarcasm, 
"between  accepting  a  salary  and  traveling  at  other 
people's  expense,  like  some  folks  I  could  mention." 

This  shot  was  so  severe  that  its  effect  was  imme- 
diately apparent.  Mrs.  Young  took  oult  her  handker- 
chief and  buried  her  face  in  it. 

"You  have  gone  a  little  too  far,  Amy,"  said  Mrs. 
Van  Stetfben,  sharply,  "When  you  compare  a  hired  ser- 
vant with  a  lady  who  is  my  friend.  I  am  going  to 
my  room.  Until  you  are  ready  to  apolog'ze  you  need 
not  come  to  me.'* 

"Don't  neglect  to  have  your  meals  sent  up  till  I  do," 
was  the  spiteful  retort.  "The  impudence  of  this  creat- 
ure," she  continued,  vehemently,  as  the  ladies  started 
together,  "is  beyond  endurance.  I  shall  go  to  Mr. 
Muller  myself  and  beg  him  to  remain,  as  a  personal 
favor  to  me." 

Mrs.  Van  Steu'ben  faced  about,  very  white. 

"That  would  be  a  fitting  climax  to  your  present  ac- 
tions," she  said.  "Let  me  tell  you,  Mr.  Lovejoy,  that 
this  man  cannot  remain  in  my  party  after  today.  Be- 
fore we  left  Honolulu  I  made  an  agreement  with  him 


232  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

to  add  to  the  wages  he  was  to  receive  froim  you.  So 
far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  discharge  him  from  this  mo- 
ment." 

She  swept  through  the  doorway  With  Mrs.  Young, 
whose  face  was  still  concealed  and  whose  attitude  sug- 
gested deep  grief.  As  the  door  closed  somewhat 
noisily  behind  the  pair  Amy  turned  to  the  clergyman 
with  distended  eyes. 

"Is  it  true — what  my  mother  said?"  demanded  the 
girl.  "Has  Mr.  Muller  been  receiving  pay  from  her?" 

"Why,  I— I—"  he  began. 

"  Has  he,  or  has  he  not!    Yes  or  nof* 

"It  is  news  to  me." 

"You  never  heard  of  it  before?" 

He  shook  his  head,  like  a  perplexed  sheep. 

"Then  I  don't  believe  it.  But  111  find  out!"  she 
added,  with  a  gasp.  "And  if  it's  true  that  he's  taken 
a  penny  from  her  he  may  go — for  all  I  care !" 

Then,  to  show  how  little  she  was  interested  in  the 
matter,  the  girl  threw  herself  into  a  chair  and  burst 
into  tears.  Mr.  Lovejoy,  as  if  thankful  for  the 
chance,  took  the  opportunity  to  make  his  escape.  After 
a  little  time  Amy  composed  herself  and  removed  the 
traces  of  weeping  from  her  face  as  well  as  she  could. 
When  she  opened  the  door  to  leave  the  parlor  it 
struck  sharply  against  an  object  outside,  nothing  less 
than  the  head  of  Seraph  Young,  who  immediatetly  set 
up  a  howl  that  might  have  been  heard  for  some  dis- 
tance. All  of  Amy's  wrath  burst  forth  again. 

"You've  been  listening  at  that  keyhole!"  she  owed, 


'A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  233 

grasping  the  cMd  by  the  shoulder.  "What  do  you 
mean  by  doing  a  thing  like  that?" 

"I—didn't  listen,''  blubbered  the  child,  rubbing  her 
head.  "I — I  was — just  looking  at  my  face  in  th€ 
doorknob." 

Now  the  knob  of  the  door  was  of  a  reflecting  ma- 
terial which  might  easily  have  served  as  a  mirror 
and  was  about  on  a  level  with  Seraph's  eyes.  Believ- 
ing that  she  had  perpetrated  an  injustice  Amy  was 
filled  with  instant  contrition.  She  knelt  down,  gath- 
ered the  little  form  in  her  arms  and  kissed  the  freckled 
face. 

"I'm  very,  very,  very  sorry.  I  tihougiht  you  were 
spying  and  there's  nothing  meaner  than  that.  Don't 
mind,  dear,  please." 

The  child  did  not  feel  inclined  to  be  mollified  at 
once. 

"You  hurt  me!"  she  said,  chokingly.  "You  hurt 
me  very  much." 

"But  I  can't  do  any  more  than  say  I'm  sorry,"  per- 
sisted Amy.  "You'll  be  over  it  in  a  minute." 

"  I  sha'n't.     I'm  going  to  be  sick  again,  I  know." 

"Oh,  please  don't !  I'll  do  anything  you  ask  if  you 
won't." 

Seraph  looked  cunningly  into  the  sad  face.  "Any- 
thing?" she  repeated. 

"Anything." 

"Then  tell  me — I  won't  say  a  word,  hope  to  die 
if  I  do—is  it  Mutter?" 

Scrambling  to  her  feet  Amy  flew  as  fast  as  pas- 


234  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

sible  to  her  own  room,  shut  the  door  and  began  crying 
again. 

It  was  more  than  she  could  bear  that  this  little  imp 
should  penetrate  a  secret  that  was  makimg  her  the 
most  miserable  of  women. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  23$ 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

AN  UNWELCOME  CHEQUE  FOR  $5OO. 

THOUGH  our  little  heroine  had  a  temper  of  her  own 
she  was  not  vindictive,  nor  did  she  seriously  intend 
to  give  her  mother  just  cause  of  offense.  The  various 
members  of  the  Young  family  had  annoyed  her^  ex- 
tremely and  she  had  at  times  been  betrayed  into  lan- 
guage which  she  regretted  afterwards.  That  day, 
when  she  had  sobbed  in  her  room  for  an  hour,  she 
slipped  around  to  her  mother's  door  and  knocked 
softly.  As  soon  as  she  was  admitted  she  threw  herself 
at  the  maternal  feet,  with  the  exclamation,  "Oh, 
mamma,  I'm  so  unhappy !" 

"Have  you  come  to  ask  my  pardon  for  your  con- 
duct?" was  "the  uncompromising  way  in  •which  this 
contrite  attitude  was  met. 

"Oh,  yes,  mamma,  anything  you  like,  only  let's  not 
quarrel.  I  am  so  sick  and  nervous  I  don't  know  what 
to  do.  Put  your  arms  around  me." 

Before  yielding  to  this  request  it  occurred  to  Mrs. 
Van  that  this  was  a  good  time  to  obtain  a  complete 
surrender.  She  did  not  even  mean  to  leave  the  garri- 
son its  side-arms. 

"Will  you  apologize  to  Mrs.  Youmg  lo«  the  way  you 
insulted  her?" 


336  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS 

This  question  came  very  near  spoiling  the  whole 
business,  for  a  spasm  crossed  Amy's  brain  at  the  sug- 
gestion. Her  mind  was  so  troubled  about  weightier 
tihings,  however,  that  she  suppressed  the  reply  which 
rose  to  'her  lips. 

"Mamma,  dear,"  she  said,  pleadingly,  "why  need 
that  woman  come  between  you  and  me  ?  Do  you  care 
for  her  more  than  for  your  own  child?  Can't  you 
dispose  of  her  in  some  way  and  let  us  go  on  in  peace 
together?" 

The  mother  still  believed  that  she  had  -the  advantage 
of  position  and  proceeded  accordingly. 

"Mrs.  Young  is  a  lady,"  she  answered,  "whom  I 
invited  to  make  this  trip  with  me.  I  have  seen  noth- 
ing in  her  action's  to  call  for  criticism.  Although  you 
have  treated  her  several  times  in  a  scandalous  manner 
she  has  borne  it  with  a  truly  Christian  spirit.  Unles's 
you  can  view  year  conduct  in  its  right  light  I  do  not 
feel  that  you  deserve  forgiveness." 

'So  even  this  rock  of  safety  was  denied  to  the  glirl 
except  on  the  most  severe  terms. 

"I  -think  you  are  very  -hard,  mother,"  she  pleaded. 
"You  never  'before  asked  your  daughter  to  humble  her- 
self before  a  person  of  lower  grade.  You  forget,"  and 
at  the  humourous  idea  a  smile  broke  through  the  (tear 
clouds,  "that  I  am  a  Sugar  Princess,  the  daughter  of  a 
Sugar  King." 

As  the  'suggestion  in  reference  to  Mrs.  Young  had 
not  panned  out  very  well,  Mrs.  Van  tried  another  tack. 

"You  are  a  frivolous  child,"  she  said,  stroking  the 
gfri's  hair  as  she  lay  on  the  rug  at  Hier  feet  "Ita  not 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

sure  it  wouldn't  be  the  best  thing  for  you  if  you  (had 
a  husband." 

Amy  immediately  sat  up,  with  every  appearance  of 
interest. 

"Haw  strange  it  is  you  should  tsay  tihat?  Do  you 
know,  I  think  so,  too !" 

"You  would  like  to  get  married !"  exclaimed  the  as* 
tonished  lady. 

"Above  all  things !"  Amy  clasped  her  hands  to- 
gether and  raised  her  eyes  ecstatically  toward  the  ceil- 
ing. 

"You  did  not  give  much  consideration  to  Mr.  bor- 
ing's proposal." 

"How  could  I  ?  As  soon  as  I  mentioned  it  to  you, 
you  said  he  was  out  of  the  question.  I  'had  promised 
to  tell  him  the  next  day  and  you  gave  me  no  choice." 

The  eager  matrimonial  agent  did  not  perceive  the 
light  vein  of  irony  that  uniderran  these  statements. 
She  thought  she  saw  a  chance  to  make  some  effective 
moves. 

"I  fear  I  was  a  little  hasty,"  she  said.  "I  was  at 
first  indignant  that  a  gentleman  'should  ask  your  hand 
without  coming  to  your  parents.  I  have  had  a  talk 
with  Mr.  Loring  since  then  and  his  explanation  was 
entirely  satisfactory." 

Amy  pulled  a  chair  to  her  mother's  'side. 

"  Whatever  did  he  say  to  make  you  change  your 
mind  so  completely  ?" 

"Why,  he  talked  like  a  thorough  gentleman,  and 
•aid  such  nice  things  about  you — and — " 

"But  he  it  not  a  duke,"  interrupted  Amy.    "You 


238  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Wouldn't  Want  tme  to  marry  a  man  without  a  title — - 
why,  mamma!" 

The  wondering  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  maternal!  face 
in  a  way  tihalt  caused  Mrs.  Van  great  embarrassment. 

"He  is  well  connected  and  his  family  'Stands  high  in 
England  and  are  very  rich.  I  never  seriously  ex- 
pected you  to  marry  a  duke.  That  was  your  father's 
way  of  expressing  my  idesire  that  you  would  select  a 
suitable  -husband.  If  you  want  to  marry  I  don't  be- 
lieve that  you'll  find  a  better  match  than  Mr. — Mr. 
Loring,  if  you  hunt  the  world  over." 

Drawing  a  long  breath,  Amy  'said  'she  was  too  much 
astonished  to  know  what  to  say.  Encouraged  by  this 
attitude  Mrs.  Van  Steuben  went  on  to  clinch  the  nail 
she  had  driven. 

"If  you  'will  tell  Mr.  Loring  you  (have  reconsidered 
your  refusal,"  she  said,  "and  let  me  announce  the  fact 
of  your  engagement,  I  will  do  whatever  you  ask  about 
MIT'S.  Young.  I  must  admit  that  her  children  are 
sometimes  annoying.  And  now,  darling," — it  was  an 
expression  that  Amy  could  not  remember  ever  having 
heard  from  those  lips  before — "give  me  a  kiss  and  get 
ready  for  dinner." 

The  Sugar  Princess  lay  awake  that  night  till  nearly 
daylight,  trying  to  find  a  satisfactory  explanation  of 
her  mother's  change  of  front.  Between  times  she  had 
little  gusts  of  tears  as  she  thought  of  Mr.  Muller.  She 
had  no  idea  of  marrying  Lorimg  or  any  other  man. 
She  was  >bo  be  an  old  maid — a  little,  d'ried-up  old  maid, 
with  -short  corkscrew  curls  and  perhaps  a  red  nose, 
surrounded  with  cato  and  parrots.  With  this  dismal 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  239 

forecast  the  poor  ohild  fell  asleep  as  the  sun  was  color- 
ing the  eastern  sky  and  did  not  wake  till  it  was  nearly 
at  the  zenith,  so  exhausted  was  she.  with  Tier  worries. 

Before  that  hour,  however,  Mrs.  Van  Steuben  had 
executed  two  important  pieces  of  business.  In  the 
first  place  she  h'ad  written  a  cheque  for  $500,  payable 
to  Carl  Muller  at  any  branch  of  the  Hongkong  & 
Shanghai  Banking  Co.  This  her  maid  put  into  his 
hand,  with  a  very  brief  note  saying  that  if  the  sum 
was  insufficient  for  what  services  he  had  rendered  he 
could  write  her  to  that  effect.  The  second  thing  was 
a  conversation  with  Mr.  Loring,  as  we  may  as  well 
continue  for  the  present  to  call  him,  in  which  she  toVl 
that  young  gentleman,  with  so(me  embellishments  of 
her  own,  what  her  daughter  and  she  had  talked  about 
the  'night  before. 

The  Englishman  was  not  dull  enough  to  be  imposed 
upon  as  thoroughly  as  the  mother  had  been.  He  did 
not  build  too  much  hope  on  her  eager  protestations  that 
she  would  "  bring  the  child  around  "  in  a  few  days  to 
giving  him  an  affirmative  answer  when  next  he  re- 
newed his  'suit.  But  he  replied  to  the  lady's  state- 
ments with  his  accustomed  dignity,  committing  himself 
no  further  than  to  say  he  'hoped  she  was  right  in  her 
prophesy. 

"And  Will  you  really  be  an  Earl,  when  your  father 
dies  ?"  said  Mrs.  Van.  "I  hope  he  is  m  good  health," 
she  added  piously. 

"In  excellent  health,  I  am  glad  to  say,"  he  answered, 
keeping  his  countenance  with  difficulty. 

"And— what  do  'they  call  the  wife  of  'an  Earl?"  she 


24O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

continued.  "You  see  I  don't  knew  much  about  titles, 
as  we  .have  only  the  royal  family  in  Honolulu — she  is 
called  an  Earless,  I  suppose." 

"  No,  a  countess.  An  earl  in  the  English  peerage 
[is  of  the  same  rank  as  a  count  in  some  of  the  con- 
tinental countries.  When  I  come  into  the  title,  if  I 
am  married,  my  wife  will  be  Countess  of  Somerset." 

Mrs.  Van  rolled  the  words  under  her  tongue  like  a 
sweet  morsel. 

"Countess  of  Somerset!  And  at  present  you  are 
just 'Mr.  Somerset?'" 

"I  am  called  by  courtesy  'Lord  Loring.'  But  plain 
'Mr.  Loring'  suits  me  quite  as  well.  I  have  a  vein  of 
republican  simplicity,  and  as  I  understand  Mr.  Van 
Steuben  objects  to  titles  I  should  be  quite  willing  to 
bear  only  that  name  until  I  am  compelled  to  take  up 
the  other." 

To  this  Mrs.  Van  protested  earnestly.  "Lord  Lor- 
ing" was  ever  so  much  better  than  "Mr."  She  told  a 
story  of  'how  her  "ancestors"  ihad  belonged  to  a  noble 
family  in  Portugal,  but  had  succumbed  to  ill-fortune  in 
one  of  the  civil  wars.  This  was  a  little  fiction  that 
she  had  long  ago  invented,  and  had  caused  infinite 
amusement  in  Honolulu,  where  many  of  the  inhabi- 
tants remembered  her  parents  very  well. 

While  this  was  going  on  Carl  Muller  was  pacing  his 
room,  with  darkened  brow.  He  held  the  cheque  in  his 
Wand,  trying  to  -study  out  what  it  all  meant,  sent  to 
him  in  that  abrupt  fashion.  He  recalled  Mrs.  Van 
Steuben's  request,  made  to  him  in  Honolulu,  that  he 
would  keep  a  careful  eye  on  her  son  and  remembered 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  24! 

her  statement  that  he  would  be  "recompensed"  for 
anything  he  might  do  in  that  direction.  He  had  want- 
ed at  the  time  to  tell  the  purse-proud  wbman  that  he 
would  be  glad  to  oblige  'her,  but  could  not  dream  of 
taking  money  for  the  service.  And  he  had  said  noth- 
ing because  he  hoped  that  the  idea  would  vanish  from 
her  mind  of  its  own  accord. 

And  here  was  her  cheque — representing  in  t!he  blunt" 
est  manner  the  estimate  she  put  upon  him.  The  slight 
services  he  had  rendered  to  Billy— because  he  was 
Amy's  brotiher — and  to  Miss  Van  Steuben,  had  been 
weighed  on  her  balance.  This  cheque  represented  the 
figure  at  which  she  estimated  him. 

How  degrading  it  was!  How  bitter  this  cup  of 
poverty  that  he  had  chosen  to  drink!  He  could  not 
stand  it  mudh  longer.  It  would  be  better  to  buy  a 
'ricksha  and  pull  strangers  over  the  sandy  road  from 
Shibukawa. 

He  finally  sought  Mr.  Lovejoy. 

"I  am  sorry  to  trouble  you  again,"  (he  said,  in  a 
shaking  voice,  "bult  I  must  ask  you  to  release  me  at 
once."  t 

Pausing  to  allow  this  strange  statement  to  penetrate 
his  brain,  tftie  clergyman  asked  what  had  happened. 

"That  has  happened !"  was  the  answer,  as  the  sense 
of  indignity  swept  over  his  features.  "Read  those  two 
pieces  of  paper  and  see  if  you  think  a  man  with  any 
delicacy  of  feeling  can  remain  here  after  receiving 
them." 

Wonderingly  Mr.  Lovejoy  took  the  letter  Mrs.  Van 
Steuben  had  written  and  perused  it  word  by  word. 
flThen  he  read  the  cheque  with  equal  deliberation. 


242  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"I — don't  exactly  understand,"  he  began,  looking  at 
the  young  man  over  his  spectacles. 

"I  don't  suppose  you  do!"  was  the  quick  retort. 
"Nobody  understands !  I  was  born  a  gentleman's  son, 
poor  perhaps,  but  with  a  sense  of  honor  inherited  from 
ancestors  who  were  neither  serfs  nor  lackeys !  There's 
good  blood  in  my  veins  and  it  boils  when  I  am  crowded 
into  the  mire  by  people  witlh  a  little  money.  Confound 
tihis  woman  and  her  gifts!"  He  reached  for  the  ob- 
noxious piece  of  paper  and  tore  it  into  fragments. 
"You  see  by  her  letter  that  s%e  thinks  me  her  servant 
and  has  discharged  me.  This  has  become  unbearable !" 

The  impetuosity  of  the  younger  man  was  in  marked 
contrast  to  the  perfect  calmness  of  the  other  one. 

"You  have  had  no  trouble  wrfch  any  other  members 
of  the  party?"  queried  the  minister,  gently.  "With 
William  or  Amy " 

"No,  no,  no!  May  I  consider  this  matter  settled, 
between  you  and  me?  I  want  to  go — I  must  go — to- 
day." 

Mr.  Lovejoy  slowly  drew  a  letter  from  his  pocket 
and,  after  hunting  awhile  for  'his  glasses,  made  sure 
it  was  the  right  one. 

"Did  you  not  take  -some  kind  of  trust  from  Mr.  Van 
Steuben  before  we  sailed  on  the  Coptic?"  he  inquired. 

As  Carl  stared  vaguely  at  the  speaker  the  solemn 
injunctions  of  the  father  edhoed  again  in  his  ears. 

"Here  are  a  few  words  wihich  lie  has  written  to  me," 
continued  the  clergyman,  as  he  found  the  place : 

I  feel  easy  in  my  mind  about  my  child,  knowing 
Chat  she  is  in  some  measure  under  the  eye  of  my  old 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  243 

friend  Meyer's  adapted  son,  who  promised  me  to 
guard  her  faithfully.  I  believe  him  a  young  man  of 
his  word.  If  I  had  the  least  d'o-ubt  of  th'at  I  should 
take  the  next  steamer  to  Japan — notwithstanding  the 
seasickness  I  should  be  sure  to  experience.  I  have  no 
doubt  you  will  do  all  you  can,  but  it  needs  a  younger 
and  more  active  man.  Gave  Mr.  MuMer  my  regards 
and  %11  him  I  shall  hold  him  rigidly  to  his  promise. 

'A  tremor  passed  over  Carl  as  he  listened.  Yes,  he 
had  give%that  promise,  ,fce  recalled  it  with  perfect  dis- 
tinctness. The  introduction  of  Peter  Meyer's  name 
affected  him  powerfully. 

"When  I  had  the  conversation  with  Mr.  Van  Step- 
hen," he  said  at  last,  "I  did  not  anticipate  this  conduct 
on  the  part  of  his  wife." 

"Don't  you  over-estimate  the  matter?"  asked  the 
minister.  "It  seems  to  me  that  if  I  were  in  your  place 
I  would  simply  write  a  polite  note,  saying  that  I  had 
done  nothing  for  wftiidh  I  desired  payment  and  would 
be  equally  as  ready  in  the  future  to  render  any  service 
she  migfht  require.  Wouldn't  tihat  be  better  than  leav- 
ing us  in  this  impulsive  fashion  ?  I  shall  t>e  surprised 
and  grieved  if  you  abandon  Miss  Amy  after  hearing 
what  her  father  has  written  to  me." 

"What  can  I  do  for  her  that  others  cannot?"  Carl 
demanded. 

"Her  father  seems  to  rely  upon  you.  If  you  are 
determined  to  leave,  you  should  at  least  notify  him 
of  your  intention  and  give  him  a  chance  to  carry  out 
the  alternative  of  which  he  speaks." 

For  some  time  Carl  was  uncertain  what  to  do. 
There  seemed  the  strongest  arguments  on  both  sides. 


244  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

On  no  account,  he  said,  could  he  remain  where  h« 
was  not  wanted.  If  Mr.  Lovejoy  wished  to  see  Mrs. 
Van  Steuben  and  could  then  assure  him  that  t!he  lady 
wished  him  to  remain,  he  would  consider  the  sugges- 
tion of  writing  to  her  husband. 

As  he  could  not  be  induced  to  modify  this  in  the 
least  it  was  agreed  upon  after  a  little  more  debate. 

Soon  after  he  left  the  clergyman  a  slight  figure  ap- 
peared at  the  latter's  door,  and  a  voice  asked  if  it 
might  come  in. 

"Always,  always !"  responded  Mr.  Lovejoy,  cheerily. 
"What  can  I  do  for  Little  Rosebud  ?" 

"Oh,  it's  noth-ing  par-ticular,"  she  began,  though 
her  face  belied  her  words.  "  You  heard  what  mo-ther 
said  about — paying — Mr.  Muller  for  his  ser-vices.  Do 
you  believe  she  ever  offered  him  mo-ney?" 

He  nodded  in  the  affirmative;  but  there  was  a  sly 
smile  on  his  lips  that  gave  the  girl  hope. 

"Don't  be  silly !"  'slhe  said,  in  a  vexed  tone.  "I  don't 
want  to  joke  about  the  matter.  Did  slhe  offer  him 
money  or  not?" 

"She  did,"  he  repUied,  still  smiling.  "More  than 
that,  she  gave  him  a  cheque  for  $500.  I  saw  it  my- 
self/' 

"Oh !"  Amy  cried,  sinking  into  a  chair  and  pressing 
her  hands  to  her  throbbing  head.  There  was  so  much 
pain  in  that  one  word  that  Mr.  Lovejoy  hastened  to 
expound  his  riddle. 

"Here  are  the  pieces  scattered  on  the  floor,"  he  re- 
marked. 

Amy  blinked  rapidly  and  looked  where  he  directed 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  245 

her.  Yes,  there  were  pieces  of  paper  which  looked  as 
if  they  had  been  parts  of  a  cheque. 

"I  don't — understand." 

"Sit  down,  my  dear,  and  compose  yourself.  Let  me 
be  sure  the  door  is  shut  and  I'll  make  it  clear  to  you." 

When  this  precaution  had  been  taken  he  drew  a 
chair  dose  to  the  girl's :  "Your  mother  .sent  Mr.  Mu<l- 
ler  that  dheque  this  morning.  He  brought  it  to  me,  and, 
in  a  whirlwind  of  rage,  declared  it  an  insult  that  he 
could  not  endure.  Tearing  it  to  pieces  he  gave  me 
notice  that  he  would  at  once  leave  the  party  for 
good." 

The  joyful  look  which  had  begtin  to  creep  into 
Amy's  face  gave  place  to  a  doleful  shadow  as  she  heard 
the  concluding  words. 

"Then  he  has  gone!"  she  gasped.    "He  has — gone!" 

"Why,  what  a  fuss  you  make  over  an  unimportant 
matter !" 

"He's  gone!"  she  repeated.  And  with  both  hands 
over  her  eyes  she  burst  into  frantic  weeping. 

Mr.  Love  joy  arose  and  looked  at  the  girl  helplessly. 
"What  does  this  mean  ?"  he  asked. 

"Oh,  you  blind  bat,  you  deaf  post !"  'Sthe  cridd,  "must 
I  tell  you  what  you  have  no  eyes  to  see?  I  love  the 
ground  'that  man  walks  on!  I  worship  the  air  he 
breathes!  I  cannot  live  without  him!  Is  that  plain 
enough  ?  Do — you — understand — now?" 

She  fell  back  into  her  chair,  half  fainting.  The  min- 
ister walked  up  and  down  the  room,  muttering  to  him- 
self. 

"Well,  I  never,  never,  never!  Dear,  dear,  wlhat  a 
yery  istrange  thing!" 


246  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Finally  he  seemed  to  grasp  the  situation  and,  lean- 
ing over  the  pathetic  form,  -whispered  soothingly : 

"  He  loves  the  ground  you  walk  on,  too,  my  child. 
He  worships  the  air  you  breathe,  also.  If  he  were  not 
over  proud  in  his  poverty  he  would  have  told  you  so 
long  ago.  Oh,  I  have  watched  him  very  carefully, 
poor  boy !" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  247 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

ON  THE  ROAD  TO   KUSATSU. 

IT  is  neither  necessary  nor  expedient  to  give  the  de- 
tails of  the  conversation  that  followed  Mr.  Lovejoy's 
assertion.  It  may  be  said,  however,  that  Amy's  teafs 
gave  way  to  smiles  as  she  drew  out  of  the  old  gentle- 
man his  reasons  for  die  faith  that  was  in  him.  In 
the  hands  of  the  youthful  potter  he  proved  a  plastic 
bit  of  clay  and  revealed  many  things  that  contributed 
to  her  satisfaction. 

"Then  he  is  not  going  away  immediately?"  she  ask- 
ed, when  they  reached  that  point. 

"No.  He  has  promised  to  stay  for  five  or  six  weeks 
at  least.  But  I  do  not  think  we  can  keep  him  longer 
than  that — unless  some  reason  stronger  than  any  I 
can  advance  is  held  out  to  him." 

Amy  determined  to  lose  no  time  in  beginning  her 
campaign.  She  told  her  mother  that  she  was  suffering 
for  more  active  exercise  and  suggested  a  journey  over 
the  hills  to  Kusatsu.  She  knew  very  well  that  Mrs. 
.Van  would  never  dream  of  taking  that  ride  and  that 
she  was  now  in  a  mood  to  humor  her  daughter  in 
every  reasonable  way.  Amy  played  her  cards  shrewd- 
ly and  at  last  it  was  agreed  that  she  might  go,  with 
Olive,  Lisette  and  Mr.  Mudler,  for  three  or  four  days, 


248  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

the  entire  party  to  start  for  Tokyo  on  their  return, 
where  Mrs.  Van  understood  something  .nearer  like 
"civilization"  could  be  found. 

Carl  would  have  escaped  this  trip  could  he  have 
done  so  in  any  reasonable  way,  but  there  was  no  evad- 
ing his  latest  promise  to  Mr.  Lovejoy.  He  must  not 
allow  Amy  to  run  into  danger  before  her  father  should 
arrive.  There  was  no  other  available  escort.  He 
therefore  acquiesced,  engaging  horses,  coolies  and 
provisions,  and  making  all  necessary  arrangements. 

Amy,  who  had  now  entirely  recovered  her  •spirits, 
danced  joyously  about  the  hofel.  She  never  came  near 
Olive  without  catching  her  around  the  waist  and  whirl- 
ing her  in  an  impromptu  waltz.  She  kissed  her 
mother's  cheek  many  times  each  day,  though  this  act 
was  generally  received  with  a  mild  protest.  She  spoke 
politely  to  Mrs.  Young,  Who  assumed  a  highly  injured 
air ;  and  even  bore  with  good  nature  exasperating  hints 
of  her  "Seraphic"  child.  To  Mr.  Loring,  though  re- 
served, she  was  courteous  in  the  extreme.  He  was 
wise  enough  not  to  allude  as  yet  to  the  matter  which 
lay  near  his  heart,  being  assured  by  Mrs.  Van  that 
things  would  be  quite  different  in  the  near  future. 

When  Billy  saw  the  party  made  up  he  said  he  wished 
he  could  join  it.  As  all  the  available  saddle  horses  in 
the  neighborhood  had  been  requisitioned  this  idea  came 
rather  late. 

It  was  a  beautifully  clear  morning.  Nature  seemed 
to  smile  across  the  fresh  green  of  meadow  and  hillside. 
The  horses  plodded  slowly,  each  with  its  owner  in 
charge,  and  the  narrowness  of  the  road  compelled  a. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  249 

single  file  for  most  of  fhe  way.  Cad  rode  affiead,  his 
thoughts  wrapped  up  in  matters  not  altogether  con- 
nected with  the  present  occasion.  Lisette  came  next, 
as  it  happened,  and  not  being  well  used  to  the  saddle 
had  her  attention  confined  to  the  novelty  of  the  situa- 
tion. Olive  followed,  at  some  little  distance.  She  was 
thinking1  of  "her  brother,  for  whose  continued  absence 
sfhe  found  it  difficult  to  account.  Had  she  been  able  to 
do  so  without  spoiling  her  friend's  pleasure  she  would 
have  remained  at  Ikao  and  watched  for  fhe  mail's.  Amy 
was  occupied  with  plans  as  to  what  she  would  do  in 
certain  conceivable  emergencies.  So  the  party  went 
on,  almost  as  sombre  as  a  funeral  train,  till  die  stop 
for  lunch  and  rest  at  noon. 

Early  in  the  evening  the  cavalcade  came  to  tfhe  ham- 
let of  Sowatari,  a  picturesque  collection  of  houses  and 
shops,  and  alighted  at  the  Japanese  hotel.  From  the 
time  the  village  was  entered  it  became  evident  that  the 
event  was  an  unusual  one.  The  people  turned  out  en 
masse  to  gaze  on  the  strangers,  something  as  an 
American  country  population  might  stare  at  a  menag- 
erie. 

All  of  the  party  were  rather  tired  and  soon  after 
the  evening  meal  separated  for  the  night.  A  little 
later  the  sound  of  a  horse's  footsteps  were  heard  in  tihe 
yard  and  a  voice  called  out,  in  a  low  tout  distinct  tone, 
"Olive!" 

Miss  Thorn  opened  the  paper-covered  s'lide  and 
recognized  her  brother,  who  requested  her  to  come 
down.  As  the  moon  was  shining  brightly  there  was 
light  enough  to  enable  her  to  dress,  in  Which  she  was 


250  X  SUGAR 

assisted  by  Lisette,  dispatched  by  Amy  to  her  aid. 
There  was  no  need  for  the  others  to  interest  them- 
selves especially  in  the  matter  and  in  a  few  minutes 
they  were  all  asleep. 

Miss  Thorn  found  her  brother  in  a  nervous  state. 
He  had  many  questions  to  ask.  He  explained  that  he 
had  not  written  because  he  was  expecting  hourly  to 
come  in  person.  At  the  first  opportunity  he  had  flown 
to  Ikao,  only  to  learn  that  she  was  gone.  The  landlord 
had  lent  him  his  own  horse  and  he  had  followed  as 
rapidly  as  he  could. 

"I  hope  your  business  matters  were  all  right?"  sihe 
said,  interrogatively. 

"Not  quite.  I  am  afraid  I  have  slipped  up  on  one 
or  two  things.  The  worst  of  it  is  I  may  have  to  return 
to  Honolulu  and  perhaps  take  you  with  me."  He 
paused  and  took  a  full  inspiration.  "What  have  you 
learned — "  He  inclined  his  head  toward  die  hotel  and 
did  'not  finish  the  sentence. 

"Dear  brother,  I  wish  you  had  never  thought  of 
her,"  replied  Olive,  in  a  sad  tone.  "You  would  be 
much  happier  if  you  could  dismiss  her  from  your 
mind." 

"I  can't,"  he  responded,  gloomily.  "I  shall  propose 
to  her  to-morrow ;  or  if  not,  the  next  day." 

"How  will  you  get  an  opportunity?" 

"You  can  help  me.  Arrange  the  party  so  that  she 
will  be  at  the  rear  and  keep  the  others  as  far  ahead  as 
you  can.  I  will  make  some  excuse  to  be  late  in  start- 
ing and  when  I  overtake  her  I  shall  have  her  to  myself 
for  a  few  moments  It  will  only — take — a  few  mo- 
ments." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  2$ I 

"And  if  she  positively  refuses  you?" 

"Why,  then — then  we  must  go  away,  as  quickly  as 
possible."  After  a  long  pause  he  added,  "Have  you 
any  money  with  you?" 

"A  little.    Do  you  want  it?" 

"I  may.  We  will  go — together — and  will  you  love 
me — just  the  same,  no  matter  if " 

She  assured  him  earnestly  on  this  point. 

"Something  that  happened  at  Ikao  today  may  help 
me  a  little,"  said  he.  "You  had  hardly  left  the  village 
when  two  detectives  arrived  and  arrested  Loring.  Be- 
fore I  came  they  had  taken  him  away  with  them." 

She  was  too  astounded  to  speak. 

"Yes,  they  had  a  warrant  for  him  for  embezzlement 
— a  lot  of  money,  I  heard.  He  made  a  fuss  at  first, 
declaring  it  was  a  case  of  mistaken  identity  and  that 
his  father  was  an  English  lord,  but  he  decided  to  go 
quietly.  Nobody  would  have  known  it  was  an  arrest 
if  young  Angel  hadn't  been  listening  and  told  the 
story.  I — I'm  so  tired!"  he  continued,  yawning.  "I 
must  go  to  my  room  now  and  get  my  sleep.  Good- 
night, clearest." 

They  found  a  mousme,  who  had  waited  for  them, 
lying  in  blissful  unconsciousness  across  the  doorway. 
She  lit  a  candle  and  escorted  the  guests  to  their  rooms. 

The  procession  started  in  the  morning  exact1y  as 
Capt.  Thorn  had  suggested,  Miss  Vain  Steuiben  bring- 
ing up  ^he  rear.  When  Thorn  caught  up  with  her, 
it  immediately  occurred  to  Amy  that  he  had  remained 
behind  on  purpose  to  obtain  a  private  conversation. 
Sihe  had  known  for  a  long  time  tihat  he  would  ask  her, 


252  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

sooner  or  later,  to  be  his  Wife,  If  this  was  his  hrten- 
tion  the  sooner  it  was  over  the  better. 

Passing  through  a  small  hamlet  they  carne  to  two 
paths,  one  of  which  led  through  the  valley,  the  other 
over  the  hillside.  Those  in  advance  had  taken  the 
valley  road.  Amy  decided  to  take  the  upper  path, 
which  she  could  explain  on  the  ground  that  it  afforded 
a  more  beautiful  view. 

When  she  found  herself  entirely  alone,  however, 
with  Capt.  Thorn,  except  for  their  two  codlies  (who 
<Jid  not  count  any  more  than  the  animals  they  led) 
she  had  a  moment  of  stage  fright  and  began  to  think 
of  turning  back.  The  Captain,  however,  did  not  give 
her  time  to  consider  this  plan.  Pushing  his  horse  to 
her  side  he  leaned  toward  her  and  said,  in  a  voice  of 
feverish  eagerness 

"Can  you  guess  why  I  am  glad  we  have  taken  a 
different  path  from  the  others,  Miss  Van  Steuben?" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  353 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

"YOU  SPEAK  SO  SADLY." 

IT  has  been  the  habit  of  the  fair  sex  from  time  in> 
memorial  to  affect  the  utmost  surprise  on  sudi  occa- 
sions, and  Amy's  face  bore  an  utterly  blank  expression 
as  she  looked  at  the  questioner. 

"Is  it — something  about — Olive?"  she  asked. 

"No."  He  tried  to  smile,  though  his  countenance 
was  troubled.  "It  is  something  about — you.  Can  it 
be  you  have  not  seen,  in  all  the  time  I  have  been  in 
your  company "  He  cou'ld  not  proceed. 

"Oh,"  she  said,  composedly,  "you  want  to  marry 
me?" 

"I  love  you  I"  he  cried.  "With  all  my  heart  and 
soul !  Will  you  trust  your  future  to  me  ?" 

"I  can't,"  she  replied.  "I  might  as  well  say  it  in 
plain  words.  Not  only  do  I  not  love  you  but  my  af- 
fections are  engaged  elsewhere." 

There  was  a  pause  of  a  full  minute  before  he  spoke 
again.  Amy  glanced  toward  the  valley,  where  the 
others  of  her  party  were,  and  thought  Carl's  face  was 
turned  somewhat  anxiously  in  her  direction. 

"If  you  have  reference  to  Mr.  Somerset  Loring," 
said  Capt.  Thorn,  gutterally,  "he  is  under  arrest  for 
embezzlement  and  now  on  his  way  to  Yokohama, 
where  extradition  proceedings  will  take  place/' 


254  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"Mercy !  Is  it  possible  we  have  had  a  man  of  that 
character  with  us  and  never  suspected  him?  He  was 
a  great  friend  of  Billy's.  I  am  very  sorry,  indeed  I 
am.  But  it  is  not  Mr.  Loring.  I  don't  think  I  will 
tell  you  just  yet  who  it  is.  Now,  Captain,  the  worst  is 
over.  I  want  to  be  good  friends  with  you,  for  Olive's 
sake.  Promise  me  never  to  allude  to  this  matter 
again." 

She  held  out  her  little  hand.     Thorn  took  it  and 
raised  it  reverently  to  his  lips.    From  the  valley  below 
Carl  Muller  was  a  witness  of  the  act. 
,,   "He  has  asked  her  to  be  his  wife  and  she  has  accept- 
ed.   God  help  me  to  bear  it  like  a  man !" 

Macduff  was  not  the  only  personage  in  history  who, 
though  he  could  "bear  it  like  a  man"  must  also  "feel 
it  like  a  man." 

After  a  painful  pause  Capt.  Thorn  said  it  would  be 
necessary  for  him  to  return  to  Ikao  at  once  and  take 
his  sister  with  him.  It  would  be  impossible  for  him 
to  remain  with  the  excursion  in  his  state  of  mind. 

"Don't  be  foolish,"  she  answered,  soothingly.  "  'Men 
have  died  ere  now  and  worms  have  eaten  them,  but 
not  for  love,'  you  know.  Ollie  and  I  are  sisters  and  I 
want  her  to  stay  with  me  till  I  finish  my  journey.  If 
you  are  a  nice,  unselfish  brother,  you  will  do  her  that 
favor,  and  if  you  care  at  all  for  me  you  should  think  a 
little  of  my  feelings.  If  you  take  Ollie  away  I  shall 
have  to  give  up  my  trip." 

"You  will  still  have  your  maid  and  courier." 

"Y-e-s,  but  I'm  afraid  it  wouldn't  look  exactly  right 
io  go  on  with  them  alone.  I  suppose  you'll  do  as  you've 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  255 

a  mind  to.  Why  couldn't  you  have  stayed  away  a 
week  longer  ?  I  shall  feel  like  going  back  to  Honolulu, 
rather  than  be  separated  from  Ollie." 

They  were  ascending  the  green  hillside  at  every 
step  and  the  view  was  magnificent  in  all  directions. 
But  the  two  travelers  saw  nothing  but  their  individ- 
ual troubles. 

"Olive  may  not  return  to  Honolulu,"  said  Thorn. 

"Why,  where  are  you  going?" 

"I  don't  know." 

"You  speak  so  sadly!" 

"What  have  I  to  make  me  happy?" 

"But  you  might — try.  I  wish  I  had  stayed  on  the 
valley  road.  I  want  to  throw  my  arms  around  Ollie's 
neck  and  have  a  good  cry!" 

Not  having  "Ollie's  neck"  to  weep  on,  Amy  took 
her  horse's  instead.  After  a  little  while  she  straighten- 
ed herself  up  and  wiped  her  eyes.  Then  for  an  hour 
neither  she  nor  her  companion  uttered  a  syllable.  When 
she  did  speak  it  was  to  make  a  strong  plea  that  Thlorn 
woufld  reconsider  his  intention  of  taking  h'is  sister 
away  with  him. 

"I  could  not  leave  her  if  I  would,"  he  replied.  "There 
has  been  some  trouble  with  my  remittances." 

"What  nonsense!  You  leave  Olive's  expense  to 
me.  She  shall  be  just  like  a  sister,  as  long  as  you  let 
her  stay." 

"Olive  is  very  dear  to  me,"  said  Capt.  Thorn,  after 
some  consideration.  "I  will  leave  her  in  your  hands, 
as  you  propose,  for  the  present.  And  if  anything 
serious  should  happen  to  me " 


256  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Amy  interrupted  him  with  a  shiver. 

"The  way  you  say  that  makes  my  flesh  creep!"  she 
exclaimed.  "Why  should  anything  'serious'  happen 
to  you?" 

"Accidents  may  befall  anyone.  If,  as  I  say,  a 
serious  accident  should  happen  to  me — will  you  still 
be  Olive's  protector?" 

"Always.  And  now  let  us  talk  about  something 
not  so  sad.  We  are  losing  these  beautiful  views.  I 
wonder  if  that  is  Kusatsu  in  the  distance.  Shall  you 
really  have  to  go  away?  What  a  pity  that  is  about 
Mr.  Loring!  One  would  think  a  character  of  that 
sort  would  exhibit  his  nature,  and  he  seemed  a  per- 
fect gentleman  in  every  way.  I  wonder  if  it's  not 
possible  there's  some  mistake.  Embezzling  money 
,from  those  who  trusted  him  seems  meaner  than  burg- 
Jary  or  highway  robbery. 

Capt.  Thorn  had  grown  very  pale.  In  answer  to 
Amy's  inquiry  if  he  were  ill  he  admitted  that  he  did 
feel  slightly  faint.  It  was  now  nearly  one  o'clock 
and  soon  they  rode  into  the  yard  of  the  "  besso  "  to 
which  they  were  bound.  After  waiting  a  moment  to 
see  if  it  was  expected  of  him,  Capt.  Thorn  assisted 
Amy  to  alight.  Olive  did  not  need  to  ask  questions, 
theexpressioninher  brother's  eyestellingits;own  story. 

Carl  did  not  look  closely  at  either  of  them.  He  'had 
seen  enough  from  the  valley.  The  bending  over  tlhe 
young  lady's  hand  was  confirmed  by  their  late  arriv- 
al, which  indicated  the  deliberation  of  lovers  rather 
than  the  hastening  of  a  maiden  from  an  unwelcome 
suitor. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Presently  Miss  Thorn  and  her  brother  strolled  a 
little  way  up  the  street  and  there  he  told  her  every- 
thing. 

"I  may  have  to  leave  you  again  soon,"  he  said,  un- 
easily. "I  have  had  some  business  trouble;  men  v/ith 
whom  I  have  had  dealings  are  pursuing  me  with  malice. 
I  mentioned  this  to  Miss  Van  Steuben  on  the  way  here 
and  she  asked  me  to  leave  you  with  her  for  the  present 
Are  you  willing  to  stay?" 

"When  must  you  go?"  she  asked. 

"Perhaps  tomorrow,  perhaps  tonight.  I  may  have 
a  message  at  any  moment." 

Olive  was  much  puzzled  at  his  manner,  but  she 
tried  to  conceal  her  apprehensions.  He  certainly  must 
know  best. 

"There  is  just  one  other  thing  I  want  to  say,"  he 
remarked.  "I  have  made  some  bitter  enemies.  If 
you  hear  anything  to  my  disparagement,  don't  let  any- 
one make  you  believe  it.  These  men  may  annoy  me 
for  the  present,  but  I  will  surely  win  in  the  end." 

She  responded,  with  a  warm  pressure  on  the  arm 
she  held,  that  no  one  could  ever  make  her  believe  any- 
thing wrong  of  him,  and  after  a  little  further  talk  they 
returned  to  the  hotel. 

At  about  the  hour  of  midnight,  finding  himself  un- 
able to  sleep,  Capt.  Thorn  quietly  made  his  way  down- 
stairs and  out  of  doors.  He  started  for  a  stroll  along 
the  deserted  street,  although  it  was  hardly  light 
enough  to  see  his  way.  So  absorbed  was  he  in  his 
thoughts  that  he  did  not  notice  until  it  was  very  near 
a  figure  clad  in  "European"  clothing,  approaching 
on  horseback,  preceded  by  a  coolie. 


258  A  SUGAB  PRINCESS. 

The  rider  stopped  almost  at  the  same  moment,  di- 
rectly in  front  of  him.  The  action  might  have  aroused 
the  apprehensions  of  a  less  nervous  man  than  Capt. 
Thorn  was  at  that  moment.  He  put  his  hand  instant- 
ly toward  his  hip  pocket. 

11  Why,  Captain,  don't  you  know  me?"  spoke  the 
familiar  voice. 

It  was  Mr.  Somerset  Loring. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE  STORY  OF  CHATHAM  STONE. 

THORN  peered  into  the  semi-darkness  anid  recog- 
nized the  traveller,  upon  which  he  returned  the  weapon 
to  his  pocket  and  put  on  a  more  cordial  front.  Lotting 
alighted  from  his  horse  and  indicated  to  his  coolie 
that  he  might  go  on  to  the  hotel. 

"That  is  the  hotel,  I  suppose,"  he  said,  indica!tin/g 
the  building. 

Thorn  signified  an  affirmative.  "Will  you  explain 
how  you  are  here?"  he  asked.  "  I  was  told  at  the 
Kindayo  that  you  had  a  pressing  engagement  with 
some  gentlemen  who  called  there." 

"A  case  of  mistaken  identity,"  replied  the  English- 
man, quietly.  "They  had  an  idea  that  I  was  a  man 
named  Chatham  Stone,  wanted  for  embezzlement 
somewhere  in  the  States.  I  humored  them  so  far  as 
to  go  to  Maebashi,  when  we  ran  into  the  British 
Minister,  who  was  on  the  train,  and  I  succeeded  in 
convincing  them  of  their  error. 

"Lucky  for  you.  They  might  have  taken  you  all 
the  way  to  America." 

"Hardly  as  far  as  that.  I  knew  I  could  get  identi- 
fied at  Tokyo,  if  worse  came  to  worst.  Well,  it  has 
done  me  no  harm  and  is  probably  a  good  thing  for 


2<5O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

ifie  real  Chatham  Stone,  who  yery  likely  will  hear  of 
it  and  be  able  to  profit  by  my  annoyance.  My  friends 
the  detectives  insist  that  he  is  somewhere  in  this  part 
of  the  country.  Do  you  suppose  I  could  get  anything  to 
eat?" 

Thorn  said  he  thought  he  could  arouse  some  of  the 
servants  and  soon  he  succeeded  in  doing  so.  While 
food  was  being  prepared  Loring  went  more  particu- 
larly into  his  adventure.  Soon  after  the  party  had  left 
for  Kusatsu  the  detectives  came  upon  him  a  short  way 
from  the  hotel.  They  called  him  "Mr.  Stone"  and 
said  they  had  a  warrant  for  his  arrest.  "  The  deuce 
you  have!"  he  told  them.  "What  have  I  been  doing 
now?"  They  showed  him  a  warrant  and  remarked 
that  they  did  not  mean  to  stand  any  nonsense. 

"  'If  you  want  to  go  to  the  hotel  and  get  your 
things,  all  right/  they  told  me,  'but  if  you  try  to  get 
away  you  never'll  put  the  Government  to  any  expense 
for  your  trial/  I  was  amu§ed  at  their  impudence,  re- 
turned to  the  hotel  peaceably,  got  my  traps,  and  went 
along  with  them." 

"You  are  cool  enough  about  it,"  Thorn  remarked, 
shifting  his  gaze  uneasily. 

"Why,  there  was  no  danger.  I  knew  I  could  send 
for  the  British  minister,  who  knows  me  very  well, 
when  we  got  to  Tokyo,  but  I  didn't  expect  to  find 
him  quite  so  soon/' 

When  the  eggs  and  bread  were  brought  he  began 
on  them  hungrily,  drinking  large  cups  of  freshly  brew- 
ed tea  at  the  same  time. 

"You  havan't  got  a  cigar  about  you,  have  you?" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  26 1 

said  Loring,  when  at  last  he  finished  the  meal. 
"Thanks.  And  a  match  ?  Awfully  obliged.  Mrs.  Van 
Steuben  was  anything  but  cordial  to  me  when  I  came 
back  to  Ikao.  She  wouldn't  believe  I  was  un- 
justly accused,  even  when  she  saw  me  free  again.  So, 
thinking  the  slander  might  reach  the  rest  of  her  family, 
I  concluded  to  come  at  once  and  defend  myself.  Do 
you  know  whether  Miss  Van  Steuben  has  heard  of  my 
misadventure  ?" 

"She  has." 

"And  believes  me  a  rascal  fit  for  prison,  eh?" 

"Naturally." 

Loring  looked  searchingly  at  the  speaker. 

"Do  you  entertain  the  same  view?" 

"I  know  nothing  about  it,"  said  Thorn,  reddening 
under  the  sharp  gaze. 

"Don't  you  ?  This  isn't  a  bad  cigar.  How  long  do 
you  expect  to  remain  at  Kusatsu?" 

"Till  the  others  go,  three  or  four  days  perhaps." 

"I  wouldn't,"  said  Loring,  composedly.  "This  cli- 
mate is  dangerous  for  a  man  in  your  state  of  health.'* 

There  was  no  longer  any  mistaking  his  meaning. 
Thorn's  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  ground  and  the  air, 
about  the  two  men  grew  oppressive. 

"What  do  you  advise  a  man  in  my  'state  of  health' 
to  do?"  the  Captain  managed  to  ask  after  an  awk- 
ward pause. 

"Not  to  waste  an  hour  in  leaving  this  place ;  to  go 
as  fast  as  possible  to  some  point  on  the  railway — the 
nearest  way  is  over  the  Shibu-toge,  I  believe.  Pick 
your  way  carefully  out  of  Japan.  The  night  air  may 


262  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

be  healthier  than  daylight  for  the  greater  part  of  Hhe 
journey." 

Thorn  was  looking  anxiously  down  the  road. 

"One  word;  why  do  you  do  this?"  he  asked,  absently. 
"You  must  know  I  tried  to  save  myself  by  putting  the 
police  on  your  track." 

"Yes,  I  know.  I  do  this,  Mr.  Stone,"  (he  spoke 
the  name  very  low)  "on  your  sister's  account." 

Thorn  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"You  love  her !"  he  exclaimed.  "Why,  I  thought— 
I  understood " 

"Hush!"  said  Loring,  warningly.  "I  do  not  love 
Miss  Thorn,  but  I  honor  and  respect  her  and  I  would 
avoid  giving  pain  to  her  dearest  friend,  Miss  Van  Steu- 
ben." 

"  How  can  I  thank  you?  As  soon  as  I  say  a  few 
words  to  my  sister  I  will  depart.  If  you  remain  you 
may  be  able  to  keep  my  pursuers  off  my  track  a 
little  while." 

"Make  the  parting  short,"  warned  Loring.  "Half 
an  hour  may  mean  everything  to  you.  By  the  way, 
are  you  sufficiently  well  in  funds?" 

Thorn  shook  his  head  dejectedly. 

"I  was  afraid  not.  Here  is  £500 — you  can  return 
it  when  convenient.  And  what  about  Miss  Olive?" 

Hurriedly  Thorn  told  him  of  the  arrangement  he 
had  made. 

He  then  aroused  his  sister  and  had  a  few  sad  words, 
during  which  he  could  not  keep  back  the  tears.  A 
servant  had  already  summoned  his  coolie  and  his 
horse  was  ready  to  mount.  Pressing  Mr.  Loring's 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  263; 

Hand  and  looking  the  gratitude  he  could  not  speak, 
the  Captain  vanished  up  the  dimly  lighted  street. 

A  room  was  soon  found  for  the  new  arrival,  where 
he  lay  down  on  the  "futons"  and  was  tired  enough  to 
get  a  sound  sleep  until  morning.  When  he  met  the 
others  the  next  day  he  told  them,  with  many  a  laugh, 
of  the  strange  mistake  by  which  he  had  been  arrested 
and  of  his  identification  and  release.  He  even 
alluded  to  his  cool  reception  by  Mrs.  Van  Steuben,  on 
his  return  to  Ikao,  as  a  partial  explanation  for  pre- 
f  ering  to  join  the  rest  of  the  party  rather  than  remain 
at  the  Kindayo  Hotel. 

Amy,  who  had  heard  the  first  part  of  the  story  on 
the  previous  day,  was  sincerely  glad  everything  had 
turned  out  so  well.  Carl's  thoughts  were  too  deeply 
fixed  on  another  subject  for  him  to  feel  much  interest 
in  the  matter. 

Presently  Loring  asked  Miss  Olive  to  ac- 
company him  for  a  walk  to  a  Buddhist  Temple  above 
the  town,  and  she  accepted.  There  were  no  other  Eng- 
lish speaking  guests  at  the  inn  except  Lisette,  who 
was  occupied  with  a  paper-covered  novel  up  stairs,  and 
Miss  Van  Steuben  decided  she  would  never  have  a 
better  opportunity  to  get  a  definite  declaration  out  of 
Carl  in  relation  to  his  feelings  toward  her.  Mr.  Love- 
joy  had  convinced  her  that  he  only  needed  a  litde  en- 
couragement. Surely  the  field  could  not  be  clearer. 

"I  wish  Mr.  Loring  would  fall  in  love  with  Ollie," 
she  said,  looking  after  the  retreating  couple.  "She's 
a  sweet  girl  and  he's  really  a  good  fellow." 

"It's  hardly  a  week  since  he  asked  you  to  be  his 


$64  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

wife.  Do  you  think  a  man  can  transfer  his  affections 
Bo  easily?" 

"Oh,  I  don't  know,"  she  said,  pursing  up  her  mouth. 
"Marriage  is  a  good  deal  of  an  accident  in  many 
cases.  I  hope  Mr.  Loring  won't  mope  his  life  out 
because  one  girl  refused  him  when  there  is  another 
just  as  nice.  I  didn't  want  to  marry  him  and  I  had 
to  tell  him  so.  I've  had  another  offer  since  then,  too." 

"Which  you  did  not  refuse,"  remarked  Carl,  quietly. 

He  had  grown  very  bold  to  talk  to  her  in  that  way, 
but  he  thought  it  only  a  matter  of  a  few  weeks  before 
he  would  part  from  her  forever. 

"Perhaps  you  know  all  about  it,"  she  pouted. 

"Yes,"  he  assented.  "And  I  take  this,  my  first  op- 
portunity, to  congratulate  you." 

The  girl  began  to  feel  chilly.  Could  it  be  Mr.  Love- 
joy  had  made  a  mistake  ? 

"Well,  if  you'll  allow  me,"  she  replied,  with  a  toss 
of  her  head,  "you  don't  seem  to  know  anything  about 
it.  On  the  way  here  yesterday  Capt.  Thorn  asked  me 
to  marry  him  and  I  declined  without  a  moment's  hesi- 
tation. If  I  had  accepted  him  do  you  think  he  would 
have  gone  away,  as  he  did,  in  the  middle  of  the  night?" 

"But  I  could  not  help  seeing  you,  from  the  valley,'* 
said  Carl,  surprised  at  his  own  courage.  "He  took 
your  hand  twice  and  kissed  it." 

The  girl  uttered  a  long  "Ah-a-ha !"  "You're  a  very 
poor  judge  of  symptoms,"  she  said,  lightly.  "If  I  had 
accepted  the  man,  he  wouldn't  have  kissed — my  hand." 

A  pain  shot  through  his  heart  and  the  muscles  of 
his  face  twitched. 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  265 

"You  seem  to  tfiink  love  and  marriage  very  light- 
things,  Miss  Van  Steuben,"  he  remarked,  stiffly. 

"On  the  contrary,  I  think  them  very  serious  things. 
Here  I  have  had  proposals  within  a  week  from  two  men 
I  care  nothing  whatever  about,  arid — no  one — I  do  care 
for — seems  to  care  anything  for  me." 

She  spoke  rapidly,  fearing  that  he  would  interrupt 
her. 

"You  have  had  some  experience  in  the  world,  Mr. 
Muller.  Do  you  think  if  a  girl  liked  a  gentleman  very 
much  it  would  be  an  unpardonable  sin  to  tell  him  so — • 
if  she  thought  he  was  afraid  to  speak  first?" 

"  It  would  certainly  be  unusual." 

"Yes,"  she  answered,  reflectively.  "And  if  he  re- 
fused her,  she'd  feel  badly  cut  up,  too.  But  if  a  girl 
loves  a  man  and  he  won't  speak,  what  is  she  to  do  ?" 

It  began  to  dawn  on  his  mind  that  she  was  amusing 
herself  at  his  expense,  and  he  felt,  as  he  had  often 
done  before,  the  degradation  of  a  position  thatf  per- 
mitted such  liberties. 

"I  have  some  things  to  see  to  and  must  ask  you 
to  excuse  me,"  he  stammered,  turning  away. 

"But  Mr.  Lovejoy  asked  you  to  attend  to  me;  and 
you're  not  attending  to  me  at  all." 

"Anything  I  can  do  I  shall  find  a  duty  and  a  pleas- 
ure," he  responded,  politely. 

"Well,  I  want  to  ask  you  something  of  the  ut- 
most importance." 

He  placed  himself  in  an  attitude  of  attention.  Amy 
threw  back  her  head  and  gazed  intently  into  his  eyes. 
Her  bosom  rose  and  fell  and  color  filled  her  fair 
cheeks. 


266  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"It's  a  very  simple  question,"  she  continued,  "but  a 
very  important  one.  Would  you  like  me  for  your 
wife?" 

"Miss  Fan  Steuben!"  Carl  straightened  him'self  to 
his  full  height,  his  eyes  ablaze.  "Do  not  go  too  far !" 

Her  color  deepened,  her  breath  came  in  shorter 
gasps,  but  she  persisted. 

''You  have  not  answered  me.  Will  you — be  my — 
husband?" 

"I  cannot  think  what  I  have  done  to  deserve  this," 
he  replied,  deeply  agitated.  "I  have  conducted  myself 
toward  you  in  all  respects  as  a  gentleman  and  you 
would  make  me  something  lower  than  a  servant. 

He  started  toward  the  house,  but  her  voice  followed 
him  softly. 

"  Carl !     Do  you  reject  me?" 

"Yes!"  he  retorted,  fiercely,  flinging  t)he  word  at 
her  as  he  vanished. 

The  Sugar  Princess  sank  into  a  chair  on  the  veran- 
da. Had  she  played  her  great  game  and  lost?  Had 
she  forgotten  her  maidenly  reserve,  all  to  no  purpose  ? 
Was  Mr.  Love  joy  wrong,  after  all  ?  She  was  the  most 
wretched  of  human  beings. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  267 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

"l  LOVE  YOU,  CARL !  I  LOVE  YOU  I" 

THERE  was  certainly  no  reason  for  staying  longer  at 
Kusatsu ;  and  Miss  Van  Steuben  elected  to  go  on  over 
the  mountain  pass  known  as  Shibu-toge.  From  Shi- 
bu  they  could  easily  reach  the  railway  and  return  to 
Ikao,  with  less  fatigue. 

Nobody  was  likely  to  raise  any  objections  to  which- 
ever path  she  chose.  Mr.  Loring  was  glad  to  go  to 
Shibu,  where  he  hoped  to  hear  something  of  Thorn, 
who  was  to  pass  that  way.  Having  undertaken  to  as- 
sist the  fugitive  he  was  anxious  that  the  flight  should 
be  successful.  Besides,  he  felt  a  chivalrous  interest 
in  Olive,  whose  legitimate  protector  was  now  in  no 
position  to  aid  her.  As  for  Carl,  he  counted  the  days 
when  all  this  was  to  end  and  he  could  seek  some  less 
disagreeable  method  of  earning  his  living. 

The  start  was  made  rather  early  in  the  morning.  The 
procession  moved  slowly,  as  the  road  was  not  very 
good  and  it  was  necessary  to  adopt  the  old  single  file 
manner  of  march.  Carl  started  his  horse  first,  in  the 
hope  that  he  could  get  a  lead  which  would  prevent  con- 
versation, but  Amy's  animal  followed  his  as  if  it  un- 
derstood her  wishes.  When  they  reached  the  top  of 
the  first  range  of  hills  she  made  several  enthusiastic 
references  to  the  scenery,  which  fully  justified  her  en- 


268  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

coniums.  Carl's  replies  were  so  monosyllabic  that  they 
clearly  showed  the  state  of  his  feelings. 

"You  ought  not  to  be  angry  with  me,"  she  said, 
after  several  "yes"  and  "no"  answers  on  his  part. 
"If  you  act  like  this  you  will  spoil  my  whole  trip." 

"I  cannot  forget  so  easily,"  he  answered.  "We  shall 
get  along  better  if  you  will  remember  that  we  are  not 
in  any  social  sense  on  equal  terms.  I  ask  you  as  a 
favor  not  to  amuse  yourself  at  my  expense  again." 

"I  never  did.  You  were  the  one  who  found  amuse- 
ment in  an  honest  statement  of  fact.  You  had  a  right 
to  refuse  my  offer,  but  I  think  you  might  at  least  treat 
me  kindly." 

"I  have  no  more  to  say,"  replied  Carl,  in  a  tired 
voice.  "If  you  continue  in  that  vein  you  must  not 
expect  me  to  answer." 

Amy  stole  a  glance  at  him. 

"It's  a  bargain,"  she  replied.  "I'm  going  to  talk  to 
you,  then,  and  you  are  merely  to  listen.  The  others 
are  so  far  behind  that  neither  will  hear  a  word.  To 
begin,  I  said  nothing  to  you  yesterday  that  I  did  not 
mean.  I  know  I  am  a  strange  gifl.  I  never  heard  of 
another  one  doing  a  thing  like  tlhat.  People  say  I  al- 
ways was  peculiar,  that  I  never  act  as  anyone  would 
expect.  Papa  calls  me  his  'Wild  Goose'  and  I  guess 
that's  a  good  name  for  me.  When  I've  had  to  refuse 
offers  of  marriage  it  has  always  hurt  my  feelings.  I've 
not  got  a  hard  heart  like  some  people  I  could  men- 
tion, if  I  wanted  to  be  personal." 

His  lips  were  pressed  closely  together  and  his  form 
bent  over  in  the  saddle. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  269 

"I  fell  in  love  with  you  a  very  long  time  ago,"  the 
speaker  continued  in  a  monotone.  "  I  daresay  you  have 
forgotten  it,  but  I  never  have  and  never  shall.  I  was 

out  in  a  boat  with  Mr.  Loring  and  Billy," Carl 

started  as  if  shot — "  oh,  you  do  remember!  We  were 
run  down  by  a  tug  and  I  was  thrown  into  the  water. 
'And  when  I  came  up  from  under  those  waves  your 
strong  arm  was  around  my  waist  and  your  wet  mous- 
tache was  pressed  against  my  cheek." 

He  had  not1  looked  for  anything  as  hard  as  this.  She 
was  making  fun  of  the  most  sacred  of  his  recollec- 
tions. 

"Before  the  men  in  the  tug  boat  had  taken  me  from 
your  arms  my  heart  was  gone.  When  they  had  me 
safe  on  board  I  expected  every  moment  that  I  should 
hear  the  manly  voice  of  my  rescuer  inquiring  into  my 
condition.  But  there  was  nothing  of  the  kind ;  when  I 
sat  up  and  looked  around  he  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 
Not  a  very  agreeable  situation,  was  it  ?  I  had  met  the 
only  man  I  ever  loved  and  lost  him  again,  all  within 
five  minutes.  I  put  an  advertisement  in  the  papers 
offering  a  reward,  thinking  that  might  attract  his  at- 
tention. If  he  should  prove  the  kind  of  man  who 
would  take  money  for  the  service  he  had  rendered  I 
would  speedily  find  myself  cured  of  my  infatuation. 
If,  on  the  contrary,  as  I  hoped  and  believed,  he  would 
spurn  the  proposition,  I  intended  to  throw  myself  on 
his  neck  crying,  'Darling,  I  am  yours !' " 

And  while  he  had  sat  in  his  room,  dreaming  of  that 
vision  of  beauty,  and  cursing  the  fate  that  placed  her 
out  of  his  reach,  she  had  been  ridiculing  him  in  this 


270  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

fashion!  He  would  not  interrupt  her.  Nothing  she 
could  say  could  wound  him  more. 

"But  you  did  not  come.  The  instant  your  clinging 
arms  left  my  waist  you  forgot  me.  Such  is  the  nature 
of  the  sex  to  which  you  belong.  And  yet  you  had  some 
excuse,  for  you  had  lost  your  dearest  friend  and  was 
bending  every  effort  toward  his  recovery.  When  I 
learned  this  I  said  to  myself,  'He  may  be  after  all 
worthy  to  be  my  idol — to  fill  the  vacant  niche  in  my 
young  heart.'  Then  we  came  to  Honolulu  on  the 
same  steamer.  Dear  old  Mr.  Lovejoy  told  me  all  he 
could  learn  about  you.  I  began  to  feel  sure  I  had 
made  no  mistake.  Alas,  how  easily  one  may  be  de- 
ceived! Time  went  on.  We  happened  to  take  the 
same  boat  to  Hawaii.  There  the  distressing  event  hap- 
pened which " 

Mr.  Muller  turned  to  the  girl  with  a  face  like  marble. 

"Please  omit  references  to  that  point,"  he  said, 
sepulchurally.  "There  are  some  things  I  cannot  bear.'* 

"I  sincerely  beg  your  pardon."  After  a  slight 
pause  Amy  continued :  — "You  will  at  least  let  me  say 
that  your  conduct  excited  my  admiration.  On  the  way 
to  the  Volcano  I  sought  any  excuse  to  be  near  you. 
You  went  with  Mr.  Lindes  into  a  place  of  danger  and 
for  a  few  moments  I  feared  you  had  perished.  Ignor- 
ing all  warnings  I  hastened  after  you,  determined 
either  to  save  or  die  at  your  side.  My  strength  gave 
way  and  again  I  felt  your  arms  around  me,  your  pres- 
ence the  one  barrier  between  me  and  death.  I  was 
more  than  ever  determined  that  if  possible  I  would 
teach  you  to  love  me  as  I  loved  you." 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  271 

The  soft  cadence  of  the  young  woman's  voice  came 
to  Carl's  ears  like  unholy  music.  She  seemed  to  him 
a  beautiful  serpent  that  fascinates  before  it  strikes. 
He  would  have  tried  once  more  to  silence  her,  but  his 
tcngne  clung  to  the  roof  of  his  mouth. 

"Then  came  the  trip  to  Japan.  Mr.  Lovejoy  en- 
gaged you  by  my  request — yes,  that  is  the  simple 
truth.  Papa  had  already,  I  think,  guessed  my  secret 
and  approved  my  choice.  Mamma  wanted  me  to  mar- 
ry some  gentleman  of  rank,  but  I  had  no  idea  of  doing 
anything  of  the  kind.  There  have  been  times  when  I 
thought  you  cared  for  me  arid  would  yet  teli  me  so. 
Again  you  have  seemed  to  avoid,  even  to  dislike  me. 
I  planned  this  trip  we  are  now  taking  to  settle  the 
question  definitely.  I  have  settled  it." 

Her  voice  had  sunk  so  low  that  it  was  scarcely 
audible.  The  young  man  waited  for  what  he  felt  sure 
would  follow — a  peal  of  laughter  at  the  part  she  was 
playing.  If  she  wanted  to  think  she  had  beguiled  him 
into  believing  anything  she  said,  that  she  might  make 
his  discomfiture  complete  by  turning  him  to  ridicule, 
it  would  be  quite  as  well.  The  woman  he  had  loved 
was  a  myth.  This  heartless  creature  had  usurped  her 
place.  He  would  bear  his  pain  all  the  better,  knowing 
that  his  ideal  enchantress  had  never  existed. 

But  the  peal  of  laughter  did  not  come.  Instead  a 
complete  silence  followed.  Presently  he  became  aware 
that  Miss  Van  Steuben's  horse  was  not  following  his 
and,  glancing  uneasily  back,  he  saw  that  slhe  had  stop- 
ped in  the  path  and  was  apparently  waiting  for  the 
Others.  Feeling  that  in  his  capacity  of  guide  he  ought 


272  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

not  to  leave  her  alone  even  for  a  few  minutes,  he  turn- 
ed and  walked  his  horse  slowly  toward  her. 

Suddenly  a  scream  of  terror  came  from  the  girl's 
lips  and  at  the  same  instant  Carl  saw  what  had  caused 
it.  A  serpent,  quite  eight  feet  in  length,  was  making 
its  way  slowly  across  the  path  in  front  of  her. 

Now  the  serpents  of  Japan  are  not  as  a  rule  danger- 
ous to  the  human  species.  No  doubt  this  one  was 
quite  as  badly  frightened  as  Amy,  when  she  gave  ut- 
terance to  that  piercing  shriek.  Carl  saw,  however, 
that  her  fright  might  have  one  serious  consequence. 
She  was  reeling  in  her  saddle  and  her  stupid  betto  was 
making  no  move  to  save  her  from  the  fall  that  seemed 
imminent.  Springing  to  the  ground  Carl  ran  to  her 
side,  whereupon  she  fell  into  his  arms  in  the  most  ap- 
proved fashion  and  for  a  moment  quite  lost  conscious- 
ness. 

Neither  of  the  others  who  belonged  to  the  party 
was  near  enough  to  hear  the  scream  or  see  the 
commotion.  The  coolies  looked  on  stolidly.  As  there 
was  no  water  at  hand,  the  road  being  too  high  up  on 
the  mountains,  Carl  laid  his  burden  gently  on  the  herb- 
age and  began  to  slap  her  hands  briskly,  as  the  quick- 
est means  of  restoring  her  circulation.  Presently  she 
moved  slightly  and  her  eyes  opened.  Then  the  recol- 
lection of  what  had  caused  her  terror  returned  and  she 
grasped  her  protector's  arm  spasmodically. 

"  Don't  let  it  touch  me!"  she  cried,  faintly.  "Carl, 
Carl !  Don't  let  it  touch  me !" 

"It  has  gone ;  there  is  nothing  to  fear,"  he  respond- 
ed, coldly.  "Are  you  able  to  sit  up?" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  273 

She  looked  about  her  and  saw  for  the  first  time 

that  she  was  not  in  the  saddle. 

"What  a  horrible  thing  it  was!"  she  said,  closing 
her  eyes  at  the  recollection.  "Did  I  fall  from  the  horse  ? 
I  don't  feel  bruised." 

The  figures  of  the  remaining  members  of  tihe  party 
appeared  in  the  distance  and  Carl  was  about  to  call  to 
them  when  she  raised  an  objection. 

"I  don't  think — we  had  better  tell  them — about  the 
snake/'  she  said.  "It  might  frighten  Ollie  and  it  can 
do  no  good.  I  was  awfully  silly  to  be  alarmed,  but 
really  it  was  a  dreadful  looking  thing.  I  know,"  she 
went  on,  with  a  little  sob,  "you  are  very  angry  with 
me,  but  you  might  help  me  to  rise  when  I  am  so 
weak." 

He  assisted  her  to  her  feet  and  she  leaned  her  weight 
upon  him  till  the  others  were  near.  When  Lisette 
started  to  dismount  Amy  bade  her  remain  where  she 
was.  She  said  she  had  had  a  slight  attack  of  dizzi- 
ness but  was  all  right  now.  There  happened  to  be  a 
tea-house  a  short  distance  away  and  the  new  arrivals 
went  on  to  it  to  order  some  light  refreshment  pre- 
pared. 

After  a  few  minutes  Carl  lifted  Amy  into  her  sad- 
dle and  then  walked  by  her  side,  holding  her  on. 

"Are  you  never  going  to  forgive  me?"  she  mur- 
mured. 

"If  you  won't  say  such  things  again  I  will  try,"  he 
answered,  gloomily. 

"But  I  must  say  them  again,"  she  said,  putting  her 


274  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

rT¥ 

hand  on  his  arm.    "I  must  say  them  again — and  again 
— and  AGAIN,  for  they  are  TRUE." 

Her  voice  sunk  as  low  as  a  zephyr  and  her  sweet 
breath  fanned  his  cheek.  "I  love  you,  Carl.  I  love 
you!  I  love  you!" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  275 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

LENDING   A   PASSPORT. 

THERE  was  something  in  the  timbre  of  the  voice  that 
stirred  the  young  man's  soul.  He  turned  toward  the 
speaker  as  if  in  a  dream  and  involuntarily  held  out  his 
hand.  She  clasped  it  with  a  convulsive  movement  that 
spoke  more  than  words.  Before  Carl  Muller's  swim- 
ming eyes  the  world  seemed  vanishing  into  space.  He 
met  the  ripe  lips  that  bent  down  to  him ;  and  a  kiss  as 
sweet  as  the  honey  of  Hybla  and  delicate  as  the  wing 
of  a  butterfly  sealed  the  unspoken  troth. 

For  several  minutes  they  rode  on  with  their  hands 
clasped  and  then  Amy's  was  gently  withdrawn.  She 
did  not  mean  to  attract  the  attention  of  her  fellow 
traveler  and  the  tea-house  was  now  within  sight. 
During  the  time  spent  for  rest  she  chatted  in  her  or- 
dinary manner  with  Mr.  Loring  and  Olive,  who  seem- 
ed in  very  good  spirits.  They  were  indeed  too  deeply 
engrossed  in  each  other  to  pay  much  attention  to  what 
anyone  else  was  doing. 

The  descent  into  the  village  of  Shibu  would  have 
revealed  some  wonderful  scenery  to  people  who  had 
eyes  for  anything  but  each  other.  But  to  Carl  and 
Amy  there  was  nothing  worth  seeing  at  the  present 
moment  but  the  companion  who  rode  near.  The  others 


276  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

loitered  behind,  either  purposely  or  by  accident,  leav- 
ing them  quite  alone  with  their  coolies. 

At  points  where  the  road  grew  slippery  and  stony 
they  dismounted  and  walked  for  some  distance,  fear- 
ing that  the  ponies  might  fall  under  their  weight.  Carl 
helped  Amy  over  many  places  where  her  little  feet 
could  not  otherwise  pass  dry  shod.  Sometimes  he  car- 
ried her  bodily  for  a  few  rods,  declaring  in  response 
to  her  protests  that  she  was  like  a  feather  to  him.  It 
pleased  her  to  have  his  strength  exerted  for  her  bene- 
fit, and  she  knew  well  that  she  formed  no  heavy  bur- 
den for  a  man  of  his  physique. 

About  four  o'clock  they  came  to  a  second  tea- 
house, where  the  coolies  stopped  to  rest  and  to  feed 
their  horses  and  the  young  couple  proceeded  on  foot, 
the  road  having  grown  much  better.  There  is  such 
sweetness  in  being  entirely  alone  with  those  we  love! 
And  yet,  though  one  would  think  there  must  be  much 
to  say  and  many  things  to  explain,  neither  made  the 
least  reference  to  the  great  subject  that  occupied  their 
minds.  They  talked  of  the  scenery  and  the  climate, 
even  of  far-off  Honolulu.  There  are  thoughts  too 
deep  for  utterance  and  both  were  well  content  to 
postpone  all  explanations  to  a  future  day. 

Before  reaching  Shibu  the  coolies  overtook  them 
and  they  remounted  their  animals.  The  other  three 
travelers  did  not  arrive  till  nearly  an  hour  later  than 
they.  Whether  or  not  Lisette  had  received  a  hint  not 
to  ride  too  near  her  mistress  I  will  leave  the  reader  to 
guess,  for  his  opinion  on  that  matter  is  quite  as  like- 
ly to  be  correct  as  mine. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  277 

The  next  morning  the  excursionists  took  'ric'-.shas 
to  Toyono,  from  which  they  decided  to  go  direct  to 
Tokyo.  Amy  sent  a  telegram  to  her  mother  asking 
her  to  join  them  at  the  capital,  and  knew  she  would 
be  only  too  glad  to  do  so.  Cars  had  to  be  changed  at 
Tagasaki  and  the  delays  were  so  great  that  Tokyo 
was  not  reached  until  ten  in  the  evening. 

Arriving  at  the  Imperial  Hotel  it  was  learned  that 
Mrs.  Van  had  not  arrived,  but  a  dispatch  was  received 
from  her,  stating  that  she  would  start  on  the  following 
morning-.  The  telegram  closed  with  the  mysterious 
words,  "If  Mr.  L.  is  with  you,  do  not  commit  your- 
self. Something  important  has  happened."  Amy 
smiled  softly  as  she  read  the  words.  She  wondered 
what  her  mother  would  say  if  she  knew  what  had  "hap- 
pened"' of  much  more  importance  than  anything  she 
referred  to. 

Carl  bade  her  good-night  in  a  steady  voice,  avoid- 
ing looking  directly  at  her  for  fear  Lisette  might  no- 
tice something  unusual  in  his  eyes.  Amy  thought  it 
hard,  but  realized  that  he  could  not  act  differently 
with  discretion.  When  her  chamber  door  closed  upon 
her  and  the  maid,  she  threw  her  arms  around  Lisette 
and  sobbed,  "Oh,  I'm  so  miserable — and  so  happy!" 

Just  before  Mr.  Loring  retired  a  note  was  brought 
to  him  and  a  few  minutes  later  he  had  walked  a  short 
distance  from  the  hotel  to  meet  its  author.  Out  of 
the  shadow  Capt.  Thorn  came  to  meet  him. 

"Have  you  brought  it?"  he  asked,  nervously. 

Mr.  Loring  drew  a  paper  from  his  pocket,  which 
Thorn  inspected  anxiously  by  the  aid  of  a  cigar  light- 


278  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

er.  "Thirty  years  of  age,"  he  read,  "five  feet  eight 
inches  in  height,  weight  1 1  stone  6,  dark  hair  and  eyes, 
mustache,  no  beard." 

"Eleven  stone  six  is  160  pounds,"  he  commented, 
making  a  mental  calculation.  "Your  description  might 
have  been  made  for  me.  Are  you  sure  it  can  get  you 
into  no  trouble  if  I  use  your  passport?" 

"You  are  very  welcome  to  it,"  replied  the  English- 
man. "Don't  try  to  go  to  the  United  States  at  present, 
however.  Take  a  steamer  to  Hongkong  and  proceed 
from  there  by  easy  stages.  If  you  need  further  as- 
sistance and  will  write  to  me  I  will  gladly  render  it." 

Thorn  grasped  the  extended  hand. 

"I  don't  know  how  to  thank  you  enough,"  he  said. 
"The  money  you  have  loaned  me  shall  be  a  debt  of  the 
most  sacred  honor.  As  soon  as  possible  I  will  repay 
it  with  interest." 

"Good-night.  It  may  be  dangerous  for  us  to  be 
seen  talking  together."  And,  with  another  caution  to 
lose  no  time  in  leaving  the  country,  Loring  withdrew. 

Among  the  earliest  guests  of  the  Imperial  to  arise 
the  next  morning  was  Carl  Muller.  He  had  been  too 
much  perturbed  to  sleep  very  soundly.  As  he  passed 
out  of  the  hotel  he  encountered  a  familiar  face  that 
caused  him  to  start  in  surprise.  The  owner  of  the 
face  walked  straight  toward  him,  seeming  delighted 
at  the  meeting. 

"Speak  of  the  devil !"  exclaimed  the  new-comer.  "I 
was  just  wondering  where  in  this  queer  country  you 
were  hiding  and  if  I  should  be  lucky  enough  to  run 
across  you.  I'm  more  than  glad  to  set  eyes  on  you 


A  SUGArf  PRINCESS.  279 

again !  You  haven't  forgotten  Barney — Summer  Bar- 
ney of  San  Francisco?" 

"No,  indeed!  But  what  on  earth  are  you  doing 
here?" 

"Something  it  will  interest  you  to  know.  You  re- 
member old  Pyne,  the  detective —  of  course  you  do. 
Well,  I'm  here  on  an  errand  of  his.  You  see,  my  best 
girl  went  back  on  me — the  fortune  I  was  expecting  to 
make  didn't  come  quite  as  rapidly  at  it  should — and 
when  she  gave  me  the  mitten  I  lost  my  heart  and  job 
at  the  same  time.  For  a  few  months  I  wasn't  good  for 
anything.  Pyne  knew  the  shape  I  was  in  and  one  day 
he  sent  for  me.  'How  would  you  like  to  be  a  detec- 
tive?' says  he.  Td  as  lief  be  that  as  anything  else,'  I 
answered.  'My  life  is  shattered.  It  makes  no  differ- 
ence how  low  in  the  social  scale  I  fall.'  He  wanted  a 
man  to  go  to  Japan  and  hunt  up  a  missing  party. 
Funniest  thing  to  send  me  on  an  errand  of  that  kind, 
wasn't  it?  but  he  was  short-handed,  and  I  reaped  the 
benefit.  I've  only  been  in  the  country  a  few  days 
and  the  place  is  so  interesting  I  haven't  been  able  to 
attend  to  business  at  all." 

The  listener  was  obliged  to  smile  in  spite  of  him- 
self. It  did  look  a  rather  queer  selection. 

"Have  you  given  up  becoming  a  great  writer  of 
romance?"  he  inquired. 

"Not  at  all ;  only  postponed  it.  If  you'd  helped  me 
out  with  that  plot  I  started  on !  I  have  a  literary  friend 
and  we've  talked  it  over  often.  He's  a  Pole,  one  with  a 
capital  P,  I  mean,  and  he  says  if  I  could  only  bring  it 
to  the  right  finish  it  would  beat  all  the  stories 


28O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

written  in  this  century.  I  have  already  used  up  half 
a  ream  about  Mr.  Meyer's  disappearance,  the  erup- 
tion on  Mauna  Loa,  saving  the  lady  from  drown- 
ing (I  idealized  that,  to  make  it  look  original)  and 
finally  going  off  to  the  Orient  in  her  party,  as  Mr. 
Pyne  told  me  you  did.  I'm  sure  you're  going  to  dis- 
tinguish yourself,  before  you  get  through,  and  the 
manuscript  may  come  handy  while  the  newspapers  are 
full  of  your  exploits." 

"Exploits?"  repeated  Carl,  puzzled. 

"Certainly.  I  can't  have  my  work  ruined  merely 
because  you  won't  attend  to  your  part  of  the  business. 
It  you  don't  attract  public  attention  in  some  striking 
way  pretty  soon  I  shall  invent  something  and  tack  it 
on  to  you.  I  hoped  you  would  come  back  and  take 
possession  of  Dhat  big  estate,  cutting  a  swath  that  would 
attract  attention.  I  know  what  I'd  do  if  I  had  half  of 
it!"  Mr.  Barney  rolled  his  eyes  and  smacked  his  lips 
in  anticipation.  "As  you  didn't,  I  pushed  the  fiction 
for  all  it  was  worth.  According  to  my  plot  you've  got 
to  have  a  big  fortune.  If  you  won't  take  it  from  St. 
Louis  you  must  get  it  somewhere  else.  It  is  also 
necessary  to  the  romance  that  you  marry  the  Hawai- 
ian beauty!" 

A  strong  hand  was  on  his  arm  and  a  warning  look 
was  shot  into  his  eyes.  The  lig^ht  way  in  which  he  spoke 
cut  his  hearer  to  the  quick. 

"Oh,  don't  get  mad  with  me  for  trying  to  earn  an 
honest  living!"  Barney  exclaimed,  edging  away.  "If 
I  want  to  give  you  a  pot  of  money — on  paper — I'm 
going  to  do  it  My  latest  idea  is  to  have  you  fall  heir 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  28 1 

to  some  relation  abroad — you've  got  relations  abroad, 
haven't  you?" 

There  was  no  use  in  getting  angry  with  the  fellow, 
who  had  once  rendered  him  a  service.  Carl  humored 
him  by  saying  that  he  supposed  he  had  kin  beyond 
seas,  though  he  knew  nothing  definite  about  them. 

"I  was  sure  of  it !"  was  the  joyful  answer.  "What 
is  more  natural  than  that  one  of  your  relations  should 
die  and  leave  his  vast  estates  to  you?  And  in  the 
interests  of  entertaining  fiction,  why  mightn't  he  be  a 
nobleman,  just  as  well  as  not?  It  can't  do  any  harm 
if  I  should  even  make  you  a  Count;  it  will  be  all  the 
more  reason — in  the  story — why  the  girl  you  love  (in 
the  story  again)  should  accept  your  hand.  To  make  it 
more  aristocratic  I  think  I  will  call  you  'von  Muller.' 
I  should  like  to  know  if  there  is  any  solid  dbjedtibn 
to  that?" 

They  had  walked  some  distance  down  the  street 
and  stood  on  the  banks  of  a  moat  which  enclosed 
grounds  sacred  to  rovalty.  It  was  but  a  short  space  in 
width,  but  the  barriers  were  high  and  firm.  Carl 
thought  with  a  sigh  that  just  such  a  moat  and  wall 
must  separate  him  forever  from  the  'desire  of  his  soul 
Love  him  as  she  might,  there  was  nothing  more  im- 
possible on  earth  than  that  he  should  become  Amy 
Van  Steuben's  husband. 

"Our  family  was  originally  called  'von  Muller,' "  he 
said,  thoughtfully. 

"Of  course  it  was ;  and  they  had  estates — big  ones — • 
somewhere  in —  it  wasn't  Breslau,  was  it?" 

"  It  was  Breslau;  who  told  you?"  was  the  aston- 
ished query. 


282  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"  Why,  it  might  as  well  be  Breslau  as  anywhere; 
and  your  great-uncle  might  die  there  worth  more  than 
six  million  florins.  And  if  there  are  no  nearer  rela- 
tions, his  lawyers  might  send  to  America  to  hunt  you 
up — putting  their  case  in  the  hands  of,  let  us  say, 
Maple  &  Pyne.  It's  easy  to  suppose  things  when  one 
gets  to  writing  imaginative  fiction.  With  a  fortune 
of  your  own  almost  as  big  as  that  of  your  beloved's 
papa,  you  could  ask  for  her  hand  (in  a  novel)  wifth 
reasonable  certainty  of  having  the  proposal  fairly  con- 
sidered. Oh,"  pursued  Barney,  picking  up  a  stone  and 
jetting  it  into  the  water  of  the  moat,  "I'll  fix  you  all 
right  (in  my  romance)  if  you'll  let  me." 

There  was  something  mysterious  in  the  way  the 
young  fellow  said  these  things  and  Carl  felt  a  strange 
sensation  going  through  his  brain.  After  a  moment 
of  silence  he  shivered  and  caught  his  breath,  as  he  real- 
ized the  folly  of  such  a  tissue  of  improbabilities.  He 
turned  back  toward  the  Imperial  and  Barney  return- 
ed with  him. 

"I  suppose  the  mission  on  which  Mr.  Pyne  sent 
you  here  is  a  secret,"  he  remarked,  presently. 

"Not  to  you;  though  I'd  rather  you  wouldn't  men- 
tion it  to  your  friends  for  the  present.  Indeed,  I 
hope  you  will  be  able  to  give  me  a  little  help  in  the 
matter.  The  fact  is,  Pyne  has  never  given  up  the 
belief  that  Peter  Meyer  is  living  and  he  thinks  he's 
here  in  Japan  somewhere." 

A  look  of  the  most  intense  pain  came  into  the  list- 
ener's face. 

"Mr.  Meyer  is  dead !"  he  said,  hoarsely.    "There  is 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  383 

ao  doubt  about  it.  If  you  had  seen,  as  I  did,  the  aw- 
ful river  of  burning  lava  in  which  he  was  engulfed, 
you  would  not  for  a  second  doubt  that." 

"Well,  Pyne  won't  believe  it,"  replied  Barney,  "and 
he's  risked  a  thousand  dollars  of  his  money  to  back 
up  his  opinion.  He's  got  reason  to  suspect  that  the 
old  gentleman  took  passage  in  a  sailing  vessel  from 
Lapahoehoe  two  days  after  Lindes  lost  sight  of  'him 
and  was  a  passenger  on  a  Tacomfa  steamer  for  Yoko- 
hama a  few  weeks  later.  If  he's  wrong  it's  the  first 
time.  Anyway,  I've  got  to  satisfy  myself  about  a  few 
points  that  he  wants  me  to  look  up  and  I'll  be  much 
obliged  if  you'll  give  me  a  lift." 

There  was  something  awful  to  Carl  in  the  flippant 
manner  with  which  Barney  discussed  the  question;  it 
was  almost  like  prying  open  a  tomb. 

"I  tell  you,  solemnly,  I  know  he  is  dead !"  he  replied. 
"I  have  seen  his  spirit,  plainly  and  distinctly." 

Barney  uttered  a  long  whistle. 

"If  you'll  take  me  to  the  place  where  you  saw  that, 
and  give  me  the  date  of  the  apparition,  I  won't  trouble 
you  much  further !"  he  cried,  excitedly.  "I  can  do  the 
rest  myself." 


284  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  xxx. 

A  SHOCK  FOR  MRS.  VAN. 

MRS.  VAN  was  not  in  an  entirely  happy  frame  of 
mind.  She  had  been  so  thoroughly  convinced,  upon 
hearing  of  his  arrest,  that  "Lord  Loring"  was  a  swind- 
ler, that  she  had  treated  him  in  a  most  disgraceful  man- 
ner. Later  information  caused  her  to  think  he  was 
merely  Dhe  victim  of  a  mistake  on  the  part  of  the  de- 
tectives. She  was  now  divided  between  those  two  be- 
liefs. If  he  was  an  innocent  man,  and  actually  heir 
to  an  earldom,  would  he  ever  forgive  her  for  having 
twice  assailed  him  in  language  far  from  polite?  If, 
on  the  other  hand,  he  was  an  artful  rogue  (and  she 
had  heard  of  pretended  noblemen  imposing  on  credu- 
lous people)  what  could  be  worse  than  giving  him  an- 
other chance  to  ply  his  arts? 

Mr.  Lovejoy,  to  whom  she  appealed  in  her  distress, 
counselled  great  caution.  He  thought,  after  what  had 
happened,  it  would  be  best  to  wait  for  positive  poofs 
before  opening  further  negotiations.  Mrs.  Young,  on 
the  other  hand,  was  convinced  that  the  Englishman 
was  all  he  represented  himself ;  but  she  took  the  ground 
that  he  was  hardly  up  to  the  high  standard  the  Van 
Steuben  family  should  set.  She  had  a  copy  of  Whit- 
taker's  Almanack  in  her  trunk,  and  as  she  read  the 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  285 

names  of  British  peers  aloud  it  seemed  to  Mrs.  Van 
that  there  was  a  large  assortment  to  select  from.  The 
one  thing  on  which  both  members  of  her  "kitchen 
cabinet"  agreed  was  that  nothing  ought  to  be  done  for 
the  present  but  maintain  the  status  quo.  They  did 
not  use  this  term  exactly,  for  tfhat  would  have  entailed 
a  prolonged  explanation,  but  the  idea  is  contained  in 
that  familiar  expression  of  diplomats. 

There  was  little  doubt  in  the  mind  of  Mrs.  Van  that 
Mr.  Loring  had  followed  her  daughter.  The  coolie 
sent  with  the  horse  belonging  to  the  landlord  of  the 
Kindayo  Hotel  had  been  directed  to  pursue  his  way 
to  Kusatsu.  It  was  possible  that  with  two  or  three  days 
of  interrupted  association  he  had  again  offered  his 
hand  to  Amy  and  had  this  time  been  accepted.  Mrs. 
Van  knew  her  daughter  well  enough  to  realize  that 
in  that  case  it  might  require  much  effort  to  break  off 
the  match  she  had  been  so  anxious  to  bring  about.  It 
would  certainly  be  embarrassing  to  meet  Mr.  Loring 
until  she  understood  the  situation.  She  therefore  sent 
another  wire  to  Amy,  telling  her  that  she  would  go,  on 
her  arrival  at  Tokyo,  to  the  Metropole  Hotel,  where 
she  wished  her  to  visit  her,  coming  with  no  escort  ex- 
cept her  maid  or  Mr.  Muller. 

On  receiving  this  wire  Amy  naturally  tihonght  Carl 
the  best  one  to  select.  They  set  off  in  'rickshas,  as  if 
merely  going  for  sightseeing,  and  reached  the  Met- 
Topole  earlier  than  Mrs.  Van.  As  it  is  quite  apt  to  be 
m  Japan,  the  train  was  late  and  they  went  to  one  of 
the  parlors,  to  await  the  expected  arrival. 

As  there  was  no  one  else  in  the  room  Amy  saw  no 


286  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

reason  why  she  might  not  enjoy  a  very  pleasant  half 
hour  with  the  man  she  loved.  She  took  a  chair  next 
to  his  and  said  with  fervor  that  she  was  glad  tfhey  were 
at  last  where  no  listening  ears  could  interfere  with  their 
conversation. 

"How  long  have  you  loved  me?"  she  began,  bend- 
ing on  him  a  look  of  beaming  happiness.  "Though  I 
knew  what  was  in  your  heart,  I  feared  till  the  last  mo- 
ment something  would  separate  us.  Wasn't  it  awful 
that  I  had  to  be  the  one  to  speak  out?  But  I'm  not 
sorry  I  did  it,  dear,  and  I'll  make  you  glad  to  the  last 
day  I  live." 

His  reply  was  delivered  with  slow  and  measured 
tones. 

"I  have  loved  you  from  the  moment  I  had  you  in  my 
arms  in  the  water  at  San  Francisco ;  loved  you  with  my 
whole  soul ;  loved  you  as  I  always  shall,  though  I  fear 
nothing  short  of  a  miracle  can  bring  that  love  to  its 
fulfillment.  Amy,  let  us  look  this  matter  squarely  in 
the  face.  It  would  not  be  honorable  for  me  to  win 
you  in  our  widely  different  circumstances.  Your  father 
trusts  me  and  I  will  not  be  false  to  him.  It  is  inex- 
pressibly sweet  to  know  you  are  not  indifferent  to  me — 
to  feel  that,  had  I  possessed  a  suitable  fortune,  you 
would  have  joined  your  life  to  mine.  Whatever  happens 
I  shall  guard  that  memory  as  my  dearest  possession." 

The  girl's  eyes  opened  wide  and  her  mouth  pouted 
deliriously. 

"Then  you  won't  be  my  husband?  You  will  wreck 
my  future  as  well  as  your  own?  And  all  because  my 
father  has  more  money  than  you  ?" 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  287 

"But  think !"  he  answered,  much  distressed.  "Your 
father  is " 

"I  know ;  I  know !  A  Sugar  King,  a  Millionaire,  the 
richest-man-in-Honolulu,  all  that  sort  of  thing.  But 
I'm  nothing  but  a  foolish  little  girl,  very  much  in  love, 
whom  nobody  seems  to  consider.  I'm  not  going  to 
tease  you  to  marry  me,  sir.  You  needn't  think  I  shall 
get  down  on  my  knees  to  crave  the  boon.  If  a  man 
really  cared  for  me  he  would  at  least  ask  my  father, 
before  he  gave  up  hope.  It  is  evident  you  don't  love 
me  and  never  did.  I  have  lowered  myself  in  your  eyes 
and  must  suffer  the  penalty." 

She  bent  her  head,  and  Carl,  forgetting  everything, 
lifted  the  piquant  face  and  touched  the  lips  with  his 
own.  At  first  she  made  a  pretense  of  avoiding  the  em- 
brace, and  finally  not  only  accepted  but  returned  it. 
He  sank  on  one  knee  and  she  placed  an  arm  around 
his  neck. 

"I  can  get  Popsie  to  disinherit  me,"  she  whispered — 
"just  in  a  friendly  way,  you  know.  If  you  prefer  I'll 
come  to  you  with  nothing  but  the  clothes  I  wear  and 
a  little  handbag  containing  combs  and  brushes.  We 
will  have  nearly  as  much  then  as  he  had  when  he  mar- 
ried mamma.  But  we  don't  need  to  do  that,"  she 
hastened  to  add,  "He's  very  fond  of  you  already." 

Carl  could  not  muster  courage  enough  to  take  that 
arm  from  his  neck  or  to  fly  from  the  siren  voice  that 
whispered  of  an  earthly  heaven.  He  knelt  there  still, 
like  one  entranced,  listening  to  words  sweeter  than 
ambrosia,  and  replying  in  monosyllables  from  time  to 
time.  He  felt  himself  wavering  when,  to  ptraotuaite  the 


288  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

sentences,  Amy  laid  her  soft  cheek  against  his;  but  he 
still  protested  feebly  that  it  would  be  disgraceful  for  a 
penniless  man  to  aspire  to  the  height  toward  which  she 
beckoned  him. 

"If  you  love  me  as  much  as  you  say,"  she  said  at 
last,  "I  suppose  you  could  claim  your  estate  in  St. 
Louis.  That  would  make  you  what  mother  calls  'in 
our  class.' ': 

"I  have  relinquished  it  in  writing,"  he  replied.  "Noth- 
ing would  tempt  me  to  touch  it." 

"Not  even  your  love  for  me?" 

"Not  even  that —  and  there  is  nothing  so  strong, 
Amy,  of  which  I  can  conceive."  Then  he  murmured — 

"I  could  not  love  thee,  dear,  so  much 
Loved  I  not  honor  more." 

She  had  both  arms  around  his  neck  now  and  all  the 
affection  in  her  untainted  heart  shone  in  her  luminous 
dark  eyes.  They  had  quite  forgotten  that  they  were  in 
the  public  parlor  of  a  hotel,  into  which  anyone  might 
enter  unannounced.  It  was  one  of  those  blissful  mo- 
ments of  which  even  the  transgression  in  Eden  could 
not  rob  the  human  race;  a  glimpse  of  Paradise  like 
that  which  Elizabeth  Browning  ref  ered  to  when  she 
sang 

"  Unless  you  can  gaze  in  a  crowd  all  day 
On  the  absent  face  that  fixed  you ; 
Unless  you  can  love  as  the  angels  may, 
With  the  breadth  of  heaven  betwixt  you  j 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  289 

Unless  you  can  feel,  when  unpraised  by  his  breath, 

That  your  beauty  itself  wants  proving 

Unless  you  can  swear,  '  For  life,  for  death !' 
Oh,  never  call  it  loving  I" 

The  door  opened.  Mrs.  Van  Stetiben  entered,  fol- 
lowed by  Rev.  Mr.  Lovejoy  and  Mrs.  Young.  There 
was  a  scream,  and  the  portly  lady  had  to  be  helped  to 
a  sofa  by  her  attendant. 

"Don't  speak  to  me!  Don't  come  near  me!"  cried 
Mrs.  Van,  as  Amy  sprang  up  and  hastened  to  her  side. 
"How  can  you  look  me  in  the  face,  you  shameless 
girl!  (Thank  you,  Mrs.  Young.)  So,  miss,  this  is 
the  way  you  carry  on  with  a  common  servant  in  the 
public  parlor  of  a  hotel!  What  do  you  think  your 
father  would  say  if  he  knew !" 

"That  will  do,  mother,"  Amy  replied,  in  a  set  tone, 
though  her  face  colored  deeply.  "  You  know  very 
well  your  daughter  could  not  lower  herself  and  that 
your  charges  are  nonsense.  The  man  you  delight  to 
insult  is  dearer  to  me  than  life.  My  father  knows  how 
much  I  love  him  and  approves  my  choice.  I  admit  it 
was  indiscreet  to  give  way  to  my  affection  in  a  public 
room,  but  I  have  kept  it  pent  up  so  long  it  had  to  over- 
flow somewhere." 

Mrs.  Van  rocked  herself  to  and  fro  on  the  sofa  as 
if  in  excruciating  agony,  continually  applying  to  her 
nostrils  the  smelling  salts  which  Mrs.  Young  promptly 
gave  her. 

"You  will  return  to  Honolulu  with  me  on  the  very 
next  steamer,"  she  exclaimed,  "I  hope,"  she  added 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

in  an  undertone,  "I  shall  get  there  alive,  but  it  will 
be  no  fault  of  yours  if  I  do." 

"I  am  not  going  to  Honolulu  on  the  next  steamer," 
said  Amy,  quietly. 

"Then  I  shall  go  without  you.  I  have  tried  to  bring 
you  up  as  a  girl  should  be — in  your  sphere  of  life — 
and  I  have  failed.  Do  not  let  William  hear  of  this/' 
she  continued,  in  a  half  whisper  to  Mr.  Lovejoy.  "He 
is  rash.  I  fear  if  he  knew  what  advantage  this  viper 
has  taken  of  the  trust  reposed  in  him  he  would  do 
something  terrible." 

Excited  as  she  was,  Amy  could  not  repress  a  smile 
at  the  idea  of  her  brother  in  the  role  of  an  avenger. 
As  she  glanced  at  Mr.  Lovejoy's  face  he  indicated 
that  she  had  best  leave  the  parlor,  and,  drawing  her 
arm  through  Carl'?,  she  went  out  into  the  hallway. 

"You  see,"  said  the  young  man,  dejectedly,  "how 
perfectly  hopeless  our  case  is !" 

"You  haven't  the  courage  of  a  mouse — you  great, 
strong  giant!"  she  exclaimed,  squeezing  his  arm. 
"Mamma  will  get  over  it.  I  don't  believe  you  really 
love  me." 

There  was  no  one  in  sight  and  Amy  only  said  this 
to  induce  the  form  of  denial  most  natural  to  expect. 
It  came.  A  blond  moustache  swept  her  red  lips. 

"Mr.  Lovejoy  is  our  chief  reliance,"  she  said,  when 
this  pleasant  diversion  was  ended  and  she  had  a 
chance  to  use  her  voice.  "He  has  written  to  father 
that  he  must  come  at  once,  as  you  are  going  to  resign 
your  position.  He  will  come,  seasickness  not  con- 
sidered, and  within  a  month  or  so  you  can  have  his 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

blessing  if  you  want  it.  If  it  pleases  yottr  independent 
spirit  any  better  we  can  begin  housekeeping  in  one 
room,  as  he  did.  Perhaps  you'll  be  a  Sugar  King  your- 
self one  of  these  days.  Carl!"  she  pouted,  "  I've  not 
had  a  definite  answer  yet  to  the  proposal  I  made  you 
at  Shibu!" 

They  were  getting  into  their  'rickshas  when  Billy 
appeared  on  the  scene — Billy,  who  had  been  so  re- 
cently represented  as  a  possible  avenger  of  blood.  He 
was  fashionably  dressed,  as  usual,  and  carried  a  light 
walking  stick,  with  which  he  struck  his  trousers  as  he 
came  along.  At  sight  of  the  pair  he  ran  toward  them 
joyfully  and  extended  both  hands. 

"Oh,  I  have  got  the  greatest  news !"  cried  his  sister, 
with  suppressed  eagerness.  "You'll  stand  by  me,  won't 
you,  as  you  always  have  ever  since  we  were  tots?" 

"To  the  last  ditch,  Amy." 

"Well — I'm  going  to  surprise  you  this  time.  How 
would  you  like  Mr.  Muller — for — a " 

"Brother-in-law!  Splendidly!  You  thought  I 
was  blind  all  the  time,  but  I  wasn't.  I  saw  the  way 
the  wind  blew.  Is  it  settled?" 

Amy  looked  sideways  at  Carl,  who  reddened  violent- 
ly. 

"I  hardly  know,"  she  replied.    "Is  it?" 

Carl  cleared  his  throat. 

"Mr.  Van  Steuben,"  he  said  in  a  low  tone,  "I  love 
your  sister  dearly  and  I  believe  she  cares  almost  as 
much  for  me.  But  in  my  present  condition,  with  no 
prospects  for  the  future,  how  can  I  ask  her  to  be 
my  wife?" 


292  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

"Seems  to  me  I  could  find  some  way,  if  I  were  in 
your  place,"  answered  Billy,  with  a  laugh. 

"Mamma  is  awfully  angry  about  it,"  said  Amy. 
"Can  I  rely  on  you,  Billy,  whatever  happens  ?" 

"Bet  your  boots  1"  was  the  unequivocal  answer. 


'A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  293 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  MARQUIS  OF  MAEBASHI. 

WHEN  Carl  and  Amy  reached  the  Imperial  they 
learned  that  Mr.  Loring  had  suddenly  departed,  hav- 
ing received  a  telegram  which  compelled  him  to  leave 
at  once.  He  had  only  had  time  to  leave  that  message 
with  Lisette,  but  promised  to  write  from  England 
when  he  reached  home.  They  talked  it  over  together, 
agreeing  that  he  was  a  pleasant  fellow  and  that  they 
were  sorry  to  have  him  go.  Just  now,  'however,  Carl 
was  in  too  great  a  quandary  for  the  matter  to  interest 
him  much.  To  remain  at  the  same  hotel  witfi  Amy, 
in  their  altered  relationship,  practically  in  charge  of 
her,  was  assuming  a  deep  responsibility.  It  was  hardly 
more  practicable  to  leave  her  alone  with  Lisette.  The 
alternative  of  advising  her  to  return  to  Honolulu  with 
her  mother  was  not  agreeable,  but  he  adopted  it  at 
last.  He  might  have  saved  himself  the  trouble,  as  the 
proposal  was  declined  forthwith. 

"Papa  is  on  the  way  here,"  -she  said.  "I  can't  run 
away  from  him  when  he  has  undertaken  a  disagreeable 
journey  solely  on  my  account.  I  don't  believe  mamma 
will  go.  When  she  gets  over  her  anger  she'll  make  the 
best  of  it." 

At  last  she  consented  to  return  to  the  Metropole 


294  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

and  ascertain  definitely  Mrs.  Van's  intentions.  Li«crcte 
and  one  of  the  hotel  couriers  accompanied  her? 

Hardly  had  the  young  lady  gone  when  Mr.  Simmer 
Barney  appeared  on  the  scene.  He  had  been  making 
some  investigations,  he  said,  which  convinced  him 
more  than  ever  that  Peter  Meyer  was  alive  and  in  Jap- 
an. Though  Carl  shook  his  head  incredulously  he 
answered  all  the  questions  asked  him,  describing 
minutely  the  scene  near  Ikao,  when  he  saw  the  shad- 
owy outlines  of  the  familiar  form.  Urged  to  accom- 
pany Barney  to  the  spot  he  said  he  would  gladly  do 
so  when  relieved  from  a  more  pressing  duty.  He  was 
obliged  to  reveal  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Van  and  her 
daughter  might  part  company. 

"I  thought  you  would  take  more  interest  in  the 
thing,"  said  Barney,  with  a  disheartened  face.  "Your 
keenness  has  suffered  a  great  relapse  since  I  first  met 
you." 

"As  long  as  Mr.  Meyer  was  alive,"  was  Carl's  im- 
patient response,  "I  would  have  followed  him  to  tlhe 
end  of  the  earth.  I  even  risked  my  life  in  the  hope 
of  recovering  his  charred  body.  The  errand  you  have 
engaged  in  is  absolute  folly.  While  I  would  be  glad 
to  help  you,  if  you  insist  upon  wasting  your  time,  I 
cannot  leave  real  and  immediate  duties  to  do  so." 

He  had  not  finished  before  a  'ricksha  drew  up  in 
front  of  the  hotel  and  Mr.  Love  joy  stepped  out.  He 
looked  particularly  grave  as  he  approached  Carl  and, 
paying  no  attention  to  the  fact  that  he  had  a  companion, 
requested  him  to  come  to  his  room  for  a  private  con- 
versation. Carl  excused  himself  hastily  from  Barney 
and  accompanied  the  minister  upstairs. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  29$ 

"Mrs.  Van  Steuben  has  decided  to  take  a  steamer 
for  Honolulu  tomorrow,"  said  Mr.  Lovejoy,  when  they 
were  alone,  "even  if  Miss  Amy  cannot  be  persuaded 
to  go  wibh  her.  I  have  promised  to  officiate  in  loco 
parentls  until  Mr.  Van  Steuben  arrives,  should  the 
daughter  decline  to  leave  Japan.  After  wfaat  I  saw  in 
the  Metropole  parlor  I  need  hardly  ask  if  you  also 
expect  to  await  Mr.  Van  Steuben's  coming." 

Carl  felt  the  need  of  saying  something  in  defense 
of  himself — and  of  Amy. 

"I  see  you  are  angry  with  me  and  perliaps  I  deserve 
a  little  of  your  indignation.  It  was  certainly  thought- 
less to  select  a  public  room  for  sudh  a  scene  as  you 
interrupted.  I  have  loved  Miss  Van  Steu'ben  blindly 
s*ince  the  first  day  I  saw  her.  Now  that  I  know  she 
also  cares  for  me  I  am  like  a  man  in  a  dream." 

"I  have  no  disposition  to  judge  you.  I  merely  wish 
to  say  that,  if  Miss  Van  Steuben  desired  it,  I  will  as- 
sume charge  of  her  until  her  father  comes.  I  am 
somewhat  older  than  you  and  in  the  circumstances — " 

Carl  thanked  the  speaker  warmly,  saying  he  had  re- 
moved a  great  weight  from  his  mind.  He  then  asked, 
with  some  uneasiness,  what  Mrs.  Young  would  do 
after  Mrs.  Van  sailed,  but  the  minister  said  they  were 
going  together.  Carl  then  told  him  of  Mr.  Loring's 
departure,  to  which  he  listened  with  interest,  and  Mr. 
Barney's  strange  mission  to  Japan  was  also  alluded 
to. 

The  conversation  closed  by  requesting  that  Barney 
should  be  sent  for  and  this  was  done  without  delay. 
As  the  result  of  a  long  talk  it  was  decided,  in  case 


2<X>  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Mrs.  Van  Steuben  did  not  change  Tier  mind,  and  If 
Miss  Amy  consented,  that  the  entire  remaining  mem- 
bers of  the  party  would  accompany  Mr.  Barney  to 
the  interior* 

When  Amy  returned  from  the  Metropole  she  told 
Carl  that  her  interview  had  been  very  painful  and  that 
there  was  no  prospect  of  healing  the  rupture.  She  had 
been  given  no  choice  between  the  maternal  displeasure 
indefinitely  prolonged  and  of  returning  at  once  to 
Honolulu,  with  a  promise  never  to  see  or  communicate 
with  Mr.  Muller  again. 

"In  that  emergency,  how  could  I  hesitate?"  she  ask- 
ed, pathetically.  "You'll  take  me  in  charge  till  Popsie 
comes,  at  least?" 

"Mr.  Lovejoy  will  assume  that  position — please 
don't  frown!  He  will  be  an  indulgent  guardian." 
Then  Carl  went  on  to  speak  of  Mr.  Barney  and  to  say 
he  wished  to  join  their  excursion  into  the  country. 
She  haid  no  objections  and  that  matter  was  settled. 

Billy  came  over  a  little  later  and  announced  that  his 
mother,  himself  and  the  Young  contingent  would  go  to 
Yokohama  on  the  evening  train  and  sail  on  the  follow- 
ing morning.  He  had  come  to  say  good-by.  Amy 
loved  'her  brother  devotedly  and  the  parting  had  many 
elements  of  sadness. 

"I  wish  mother  wouldn't  carry  her  unreasonableness 
so  far,"  she  said.  "I'm  afraid  when  she  gets  home 
she'll  spread  some  awful  stories.  Papa  will  be  here 
in  three  or  four  weeks  and  everything  would  be  love- 
ly if  we  could  persuade  her  to  wait  till  then/' 

He  replied  that  he  had  already  used  bis  best  efforts. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS  297 

He  did  not  believe,  however,  that  his  mother  would 
say  anything  to  make  trouble  at  home.  She  was  too 
proud  of  the  family  position  for  that. 

"But  why  need  you  go  with  her?  Ah,  I  see!  It's 
that  old  love  affair  of  yours  with  Minna  King.  Billy, 
for  heaven's  sake,  don't  marry  that  half-white  girl. 
You'll  be  sorry  the  rest  of  your  life.  She's  nice  enough, 
and  pretty,  I  won't  deny,  but  this  mixing  of  races  is 
awful!" 

He  inquired  blandly  what  she  thought  of  mixing 
Dutch  and  Portuguese,  which  had  produced  her  own 
sweet  self;  and  if  she  thought  the  addition  of  a  strain 
of  pure  German  would  help  things  any.  She  reddened, 
but  replied  that  all  these  nationalities  were  white, 
which  made  a  difference. 

"If  I  were  to  marry  Prince  Daniel,  tfhat  would  be 
something  similar.  You  know  you  wouldn't  like  that, 
Billy.  Give  her  up,  that's  a  good  boy !" 

He  said  she  knew  perhaps,  from  her  own  experience, 
how  easy  such  things  were.  Arguments  were  plainly 
lost  on  him.  That  evening,  at  the  hour  her  mother 
and  brother  were  to  take  their  train,  she  threw  her- 
self into  Olive  Thorn's  arms,  disconsolate. 

On  the  next  day,  when  the  newspapers  showed  that 
the  Hongkong  Maru  had  sailed  with  Mrs.  Van  and 
Billy  among  the  passengers,  preparations  for  the  re- 
turn to  Ikao  were  pushed.  In  spite  of  his  incredulity 
Carl  could  not  help  being  affected  by  Mr.  Barney's 
earnestness. 

Something  happened  that  evening,  however,  to> 
change  his  views.  On  coming  down  to  dinner  he  saw 


298  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

at  one  of  the  tables  the  three  Japanese  gentlemen  who 
had  been  fellow  passengers  with  him  on  the  Coptic. 
Later,  in  the  smoking  room,  the  one  who  had  been 
pointed  out  to  him  as  the  eldest  son  of  the  Marquis 
of  Maebashi  greeted  him  cordially.  Inquiries  as  to 
his  stay  in  Japan,  his  impression's  of  the  country,  and 
so  on,  were  made  by  the  Oriental,  wMi  that  politeness 
whidh  has  caused  the  Japanese  to  be  known  as  "the 
Frenchman  of  the  East."  After  a  pleasant  half  hour 
had  been  spent  in  this  way  the  young  marquis  branch- 
ed into  another  subject. 

"I  have  just  returned  from  Shoji,"  lie  said,  "one  of 
the  most  delightful  of  our  mountain  resorts.  There  I 
saw  a  gentleman  who  is,  I  imagine,  a  fellow  country- 
man of  yours,  about  whom  I  promised  to  speak  to 
your  minister  here.  He  is  very  old  and  seems  slightly 
deranged.  When  he  arrived  he  had  plenty  of  money, 
but  for  some  time  now  has  made  excuses  whenever  his 
bill  is  presented.  He  seems  to  have  had  a  good  edu- 
cation and  has  apparently  seen  much  of  the  world.  The 
suspicion  is  that  he  has  strayed  from  his  friends  and 
cannot  find  his  way  back  to  them.  Have  you  happened 
to  hear  of  anyone  of  that  description  who  is  missing?" 

It  was  nearly  a  minute  before  Carl  could  find  his 
tongue. 

"Do  you  remember  the  gentleman's  name  ?"  he  asked. 

The  Japanese  did  not  remember.  He  was  then  ask- 
ed the  most  expeditious  route  to  Shoji  and  gave  care- 
ful directions,  after  whidh  Carl  left  him,  with  many 
thanks. 

The  possibilities  of  the  new  question  were  monu- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  299 

mental.  If  Meyer  was  living  and  deranged  beyond  re- 
pair— what  then?  What  if  his  faculties  slhotlld  be 
restored  to  him  ?  If — if — if — 

Might  he  regain  his  friend,  wrecked  in  body  and 
mind,  and  still  lose  the  dearest  girl  on  earth? 


3OO  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 
"ACROSS  OCEANS  AND  CONTINENTS/' 

CARL  arose  in  the  morning  feeling  that  he  could  not 
start  for  Shoji  too  soon.  Barney  had  the  new  in- 
formation imparted  to  him  before  breakfast  and  re- 
ceived it  with  enthusiasm. 

The  suggestion  of  changing  the  trip  to  Shoji  met 
with  no  objection  from  anybody,  it  being  newer  than 
Ikao  and  equally  interesting.  The  first  train  was  con- 
sequently taken  to  Gotemba,  whidi  point  was  reached 
before  noon.  After  a  lunch  and  rest  at  the  principal 
hotel  the  requisite  number  of  horses  and  bettos  were 
engaged  and  tfie  cavalcade  started  into  the  country. 

Amy's  partiality  for  Carl  was  no  longer  a  secret  and 
they  were  permitted  by  common  consent  to  ride  in  ad- 
vance of  the  others.  Olive  spoke  to  Lisette  once  or 
twice  about  the  matter  and  occasionally  dropped  a 
hint  to  Mr.  Lovejoy.  She  found  herself  wondering  if 
the  rich  Abel  Van  Steuben  would  really  give  his  con- 
sent, when  he  had  to  face  the  actual  proposition. 
Theories  in  sudh  matters,  she  knew,  were  not  always 
carried  out  in  actual  experience.  Although  saddened 
when  she  thought  of  her  brother's  disappointment,  she 
could  not  help  rejoicing  at  Amy's  happiness.  If  Capt. 
Thorn  was  not  to  win  this  girl  she  had  no  reason  to 
envy  Mr.  Muller  his  remarkable  conquest. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  3OI 

It  was  quite  dark  before  they  arrived  at  Yoshida,  a 
purely  Japanese  village  where  foreigners  are  seldom 
seen.  The  entire  town  was  en  fete,  a  great  fire  festival 
being  in  progress,  and  the  geishas  for  miles  around 
were  engaged  to  entertain  the  people.  In  all  the 
streets  and  squares  were  numerous  tall  piles  of  wood, 
blazing  merrily,  illuminating  the  place  till  it  was  al- 
most as  light  as  day.  This  festival  occurs  but  once  a 
year  and  is  of  very  ancient  origin.  They  found  the 
hotel  a  primitive  affair,  but  were  too  tired  to  mind 
tfhis.  Twenty  minutes  after  lying  down  on  the  futons, 
spread  on  the  mat-covered  floor,  all  were  fast  asleep. 

Anxious  to  puslh  on  as  fast  as  possible,  it  was  ar- 
ranged before  retiring  that  the  horses  should  be  ready 
at  seven  o'clock.  The  road  was  little  more  than  a  path 
through  the  hills  and  the  ovefhanging  trees  required 
constant  care  to  keep  them  from  sweeping  the  riders 
off  their  saddles.  When  the  Lake  of  Shoji  was  at  last 
in  sight,  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water  nestling  among 
the  mountains,  and  the  White  walls  of  the  cosy  hotel 
could  be  discerned  in  the  distance,  Carl  told  his  com- 
panion W'hy  he  had  come  to  this  place.  She  was  flat- 
tered that  he  confided  his  secret  to  her  alone  and 
spoke  soothing  words  of  encouragement. 

Now  that  his  goal  was  so  near,  Mr.  Barney  could 
not  bear  to  remain  behind,  but  with  an  apology  forced 
his  horse  past  the  young  couple  and  entered  the 
grounds  of  the  'hotel  in  advance  of  them.  Carl  did 
not  feel  like  hastening.  A  peculiar  sensation  oppressed 
him.  He  dreaded  almost  as  much  as  he  hoped  that  he 
would  find  Peter  Meyer  there. 


302  A  SllGAR  PRINCESS. 

At  the  dobr  of  the  hotel  Mr.  Hoshino,  the  propri- 
etor, an  Englislhman  wtho  had  been  adopted  into  a 
Japanese  family  and  married  one  of  its  daughters, 
welcomed  the  party.  Hoshino  said  to  Carl  that  the 
guest  he  sought  had  gone  for  a  walk  but  would  pro- 
bably return  directly.  As  full  a  description  as  he 
could  give  was  added,  but  he  said  the  gentleman  had 
registered  in  the  name  of  Oberman. 

Carl's  excitement  had  now  grown  to  fever  heat.  He 
asked  Barney  to  let  him  meet  the  man  first  alone ;  and, 
pressing  Amy's  hand  with  a  convulsive  grip,  strode 
down  the  path  in  the  direction  indicated.  He  had  not 
gone  far  when  he  saw  the  form  of  Peter  Meyer — 
older,  grayer,  more  bent,  but  unmistakable — approach- 
ing. Carl  paused  and  stood  stock  still,  witlh  folded 
arms.  As  Peter  approached  he  glanced  sideways  at 
him  and  seemed  about  to  pass  without  a  word.  Then 
he  looked  again  and  stopped. 

"You've  been  gone  a  long  time,"  he  said,  complain- 
ingly.  "If  you  were  not  coming  home  you  might  have 
sent  some  word." 

Good  Heaven!  The  period  since  they  had  met 
was  a  blank  to  his  mind. 

"Go  over  and  tell  Lindes  I  want  to  see  him,"  con- 
tinued the  old  man.  "He  said  you  would  never  come. 
Now  I  can  prove  him  a  false  prophet." 

"Mr.  Lindes  is  in  St.  Lours.  We  are  in  Japan. 
Don't  you  remember  going  to  Honolulu,  and  the  vol- 
cano  " 

Meyer's  face  brightened  a  little. 

"The  volcano,  ah,  yes !    That  was  where  I  got  away 


A  SUGAR   PRINCESS.  303 

from  him — from  Marcus ....  I  had  my  plan  well  laid 

I  took  a  vessel  and  sailed — somewhere.  Then  I 

had  a  long,  long  sleep,  with  strange  dreams."  (He 
seemed  struggling  with  his  clouded  recollection.) 
"There  were  many  nights  at  sea  and  many  days  on 
horseback,  with  deaf  and  dumb  men  for  grooms ; . . . . 
and  I  kept  thinking  you  would  come  and  you  did  not ; 

and  Marcus,  because  I  had  run  from  him,  never 

came  either.  I  can't  find  the  book  I  kept  my  accounts 
in,"  he  continued,  despondently,  "and  the  landlord 
says  I  owe  him  money.  Do  you  think  he  will  let  me 
starve  ?" 

It  was  inexpressibly  sad  to  find  this  strong  mind 
overthrown,  with  only  intermittent  flashes  in  the  dark- 
ness. Carl  guided  the  old  gentleman  to  his  own  room, 
where  he  ordered  a  meal  to  be  served.  While  the  wait- 
ress was  arranging  the  table  he  sought  Amy  and  gave 
her  a  brief  outline  of  what  had  occurred,  asking  her  to 
tell  the  others  and  beg  them  not  to  disturb  him  for  the 
present. 

As  the  meal  progressed  Mr.  Meyer  brightened  from 
time  to  time,  but  he  seemed  to  think  they  were  in  his 
old  home  and  inquired  why  Matilda  did  not  appear. 
He  missed  various  articles  of  furniture  and  some  pic- 
tures and  had  to  be  reminded  over  and  over  that 
he  was  in  Japan,  far  from  St.  Louis.  When  conver- 
sation flagged  the  old  gentleman  had  one  never-failing 
resource.  He  always  adverted  triumphantly  to  the 
falsity  of  Marcus  Lindes'  suspicions. 

"I  knew  you  would  find  me,"  he  said,  brightening 
up  like  a  candle  nearly  burned  out.  "I  told  him  you 


304  A  SUGAR   PRINCESS. 

would  follow  me,  across  oceans  and  continents.  Won't 
I  prove  him  a  slanderer  and  falsifier !" 

In  what  steamer  he  had  reached  Japan,  how  he  had 
managed  to  get  to  this  remote  spot,  in  what  way  he 
had  provided  himself  with  funds,  none  of  these  tilings 
was  he  able  to  make  clear.  Probably  he  had  carried 
originally  a  large  sum  in  ready  cash  w*hich  had  only 
recently  become  exhausted.  It  is  not  unlikely  that 
he  had  been  imposed  upon  by  people  who  realized  his 
weak  mind.  Unhappily  human  nature  is  much  the 
same  in  such  things,  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 

When  the  lunch  was  finished  Carl  ushered  Mr. 
Meyer  into  his  sitting-room  Where  his  friends  were 
gathered.  He  took  a  seat  in  a  corner  and  no  effort 
was  made  to  induce  him  to  talk.  The  only  time  he 
showed  signs  of  interest  was  when  he  heard  the  minis- 
ter address  Amy  as  "Miss  Van  Steuben." 

"Abel  Van  Steuben  of  Honolulu,"  he  said,  absently. 
"Abel  said  Marcus  was  wrong— he  said  Carl  wasn't 
tfie  rascal  >he  wanted  me  to  believe.  And  he  was  right ; 
Abel  Van  Steuben  was  right!" 

Immediately  after  this  Mr.  Meyer  closed  his  eyes 
and  relapsed  into  slumber. 

A  messenger  was  dispatched  to  Gotemba  for  a  chair 
with  bearers  to  carry  him  as  far  as  the  railway.  Dur- 
ing the  next  two  days  the  visitors  whiled  away  the 
time  by  visiting  the  ice  caves  and  other  points  of  in- 
terest in  the  vicinity,  everywhere  picturesque  and  at- 
tractive. On  the  third  day,  the  "kago"  having  arrived, 
all  set  out  on  their  return  to  Tokyo,  stopping  at  Yosh- 
ida  over  night  as  before. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  305 

Meyer  made  no  trouble.  His  appetite  was  good  and 
he  liked  going  about  among  the  strange  streets  of  the 
Japanese  metropolis,  with  a  special  attendant  who  was 
provided  for  him.  The  others  managed  to  fill  up  the 
time  agreeably  until  news  came  that  Mr.  Van  Steu- 
ben's  steamer  had  been  sighted.  Then,  when  the  meet- 
ing with  this  all-important  person  was  imminent,  Carl 
grew  dispirited  again* 

' '  I  know  what  the  world  will  say — that  I  have  entrap- 
ped an  heiress  for  her  money,"  he  told  Amy,  repeated- 
ly, "I  am  as  proud,  my  love,  as  I  am  poor.  If  Mr. 
Meyer  had  his  proper  senses  he  might  undo  his  work 
in  disinheriting  me.  I  should  at  least  feel  then  that 
I  had  'expectations.'  But,  when  I  am  merely  a  beg- 
gar!" 

She  saw  how  deep  his  feelings  were  and  hesitated 
to  say  more.  She  would  leave  it  to  her  father  to  dis- 
pose of  these  "ridiculous"  notions. 

Mr.  Van  Steuben's  welcome  was  very  warm.  He 
was  rejoiced  to  see  Peter  Meyer,  who  recognized  him 
at  once,  but  was  surprised  to  hear  that  his  wife  had  re- 
turned home.  He  looked  extremely  well  and  was  in 
excellent  spirits.  The  voyage  had  been  so  calm  that 
he  had  not  had  a  bad  quarter  of  an  hour  during  the 
whole  of  it. 

A  few  days  later  all  sailed  for  Honolulu,  having  the 
extraordinary  good  fortune  to  catch  the  Coptic  on  her 
return  trip.  Mr.  Richgood,  the  purser,  arranged  that 
the  party  should  occupy  his  entire  table  and  during  the 
voyage  contributed  largely  to  their  comfort  and  pleas- 
ure. On  arriving  Mr.  Van  Steu'ben,  Amy  and  OliV 


306  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

went  of  course  to  the  family  residence,  while  the 
others  registered  at  various  hotels.  Mrs.  Van  received 
her  daughter  with  great  chilliness  and  gave  absolute 
orders  to  the  servants  that  if  Mr.  Muller  called  he  was 
not  to  be  admitted.  Meetings  between  the  couple  were 
therefore  held  for  the  present  at  Mr.  Van  Steuben's 
office;  and  it  may  be  added  that  they  were  of  daily 
occurrence  and  of  prolonged  duration. 

Within  a  few  weeks  Olive  received  a  letter  from  her 
brother,  asking  her  to  come  at  once  to  New  York.  He 
said  he  had  settled  all  his  business  troubles  satisfac- 
torily and  was  prepared  to  offer  her  a  home  again  with 
him.  Though  sorry  to  leave  Amy,  she  was  very  happy 
at  the  news  and  took  the  first  steamer  for  California. 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

AMY  WRITES  TO  OLIVE. 

MY  Darling  "Sister:"  (So  wrote  Amy  to  Olive, 
some  weeks  after  the  events  narrated  in  the  preceding 
Chapter.)  I  have  so  much  to  say  to  you  I  hardly  know 
haw  to  begin.  But  before  I  record  tihe  news,  some  of 
which  I  think  will  surprise  you,  let  me  say  again  how 
glad  I  am  your  brother  has  been  relieved  of  the 
troubles  whic'h  hung  over  him.  Papa  tells 
me  it  was  never  anything  more  than  a  dis- 
agreement between  partners  and  that  Capt.  Thorn  did 
right  in  trying  to  protect  his  interests.  I  suppose  it 
was  owing  to  his  suspicion  of  the  men  with  whom  he 
had  to  deal  that  made  him  assume  the  name  of  Stone 
to  them.  Give  him  my  regards  and  say  we  shall  be 
glad  to  welcome  him  whenever  he  finds  it  convenient 
to  visit  our  island. 

Now  for  my  story.  A  short  time  ago  Mr.  Muliler 
was  informed  through  the  agency  of  Maple  &  Pyne 
'that  he  had  fallen  heir  to  the  title  and  estates  of  Graf 
Muller,  a  German  nobleman,  who  was,  I  think,  his 
great  uncle.  There  being  no  reason  why  he  should  re- 
fuse the  fortune  he  wrote  promptly  to  Germany,  send- 
ing the  necessary  papers,  and  later  went  over  himself. 
He  is  now  fully  entitled  to  be  called  a  "  Count/'  and 


308  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

mamma  has  modified  her  objections  to  our  marriage, 
since  she  will  after  all  have  a  Countess  in  the  family. 
To  humor  her,  Carl  (I  must  call  him  by  his  first 
name)  will  consent  to  use  his  new  title  for  a  time, 
though  he  agrees  with  papa  that  "handles"  of  that  sort 
are  not  becoming  in  a  full-fledged  republican,  living 
under  the  folds  of  the  Star  Spangled  Banner. 

Mr.  Meyer  is  so  well  contented  in  Honolulu  that  he 
has  decided  to  remain  here  indefinitely.  His  mind  is 
completely  restored  and  one  of  the  first  things  he  did 
when  he  was  able  to  execute  papers  was  to  destroy  the 
will  by  which  he  disinherited  Carl  and  reaffirm  the 
previous  one  by  which  he  devised  his  property  to  him. 
In  these  altered  circumstances,  Carl  has  managed  to 
muster  courage  enough  to  ask  papa  for  my  hand  (as  if 
that  hadn't  been  arranged  for  all  practical  purposes 
monitihs  before)  and  as  soon  as  he  returns  we  are  to 
be  wedded  at  my  home  in  the  most  approved  fashion. 
I  know  you  will  congratulate  me,  dear.  I  never  really 
gave  up  expecting  it  would  happen,  but  I  confess 
Carl's  remarkable  run  of  luck  did  not  seem  very  prob- 
able when  we  were  in  Japan  last  autumn. 

And  now  for  the  strangest  part  of  my  history.  I 
don't  think  it  was  meant  that  I  should  ever  know  it  at 
all,  but  it  has  come  out,  little  by  little.  Papa  was  so 
fearful  that  mamma  would  marry  me  to  some  foreign- 
er that  he  arranged  with  Maple  &  Pyne  to  have  a  man 
follow  us  and  keep  him  informed  of  our  every  move- 
ment. Mr.  Maple,  the  head  of  the  firm,  undertook  the 
important  commission.  You  may  think  you  didn't  see 
anything  of  him,  but  you  did.  He  merely  assumed  a 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  309 

new  name  and  traveled  with  us  as — w<hat  do  you 
think?— the  "Rev.  Eli  Lovejoy!!" 

I  understand  that  in  his  early  days  Mr.  Maple  was 
an  actor  and  that  his  most  successful  roles  were  those 
of  clergymen.  He  certainly  filled  the  part  this  time 
with  some  success,  as  I  think  you  will  agree.  Nor  is 
this  all.  Feeling  that  mamma  needed  someone  to  in- 
fluence her  at  the  right  moment,  he  had  his  wife,  who 
was  already  at  Honolulu,  on  another  case,  go  along 
also.  That  lady,  as  you  may  now  be  able  to  guess, 
passed  under  the  name  of  "Mrs.  Young."  Her  two 
children,  who  for  their  age  showed  remarkable  pro- 
ficiency in  the  profession  of  their  parents,  came  also, 
as  I  think  you  will  not  forget. 

When  not  engaged  in  his  professional  duties,  Mr. 
Maple  is  a  most  reticent  man  and  Mrs.  M.  is  almost 
as  hard  to  extract  information  from  as  he.  I  tried  to 
get  a  full  explanation  of  tfhe  plan  they  adopted,  but  all 
Mr.  Maple  would  say,  when  pressed,  was  that  every- 
thing worked  exactly  as  he  intended.  If  you  will  cast 
your  mind  back  over  certain  incidents  I  think  you  will 
conceive,  as  I  have  done,  a  high  regard  for  his  cun- 
ning. 

Neither  of  these  people  were  mudh  disguised;  and 
yet  when  they  took  the  steamer  for  the  States  I  hardly 
knew  them.  They  had  resumed  their  natural  dress 
and  manners.  Mr.  Maple  is  under  fifty  yeans  of  age 
and  Mrs.  M.  considerably  his  junior.  The  children 
bore  themselves  like  respectable  young  things  instead 
of  the  unbearable  imps  I  am  not  likely  to  forget  in  a 
hurry.  They  would  have  passed  for  prize  scholars  in 
a  Sunday  School. 


3IO  A  SUGAR   PRINCESS. 

This,  notwithstanding  that  less  than  a  WCCK  before, 
they  had  driven  Billy  to  the  verge  of  distraction  and 
nearly  broken  the  heart  of  pretty  Minna  King,  the 
quarter-Hawaiian  girl  you  will  remember  I  once  point- 
ed out  to  you. 

It  appears  that  mamma,  after  recovering  from  her 
•shock  at  finding  out  "Mrs.  Young's"  true  profession, 
seized  the  opportunity  to  make  use  of  the  children  to 
cause  a  rupture  between  Minna  and  Billy.  The  couple 
were  enjoying  an  evening  at  Waikiki,  having  'had  a 
moonlight  swim  in  the  breakers,  When  Angel  and 
Seraph,  concealed  somewhere  about  the  buildings  on 
the  beach,  chanted  at  intervals  the  most  exasperating 
references  to  people  of  color.  One  of  tfhe  guests  at 
Wright's  Villa  told  me  about  it  afterwards.  It  was 
awfully  mean  and  I  gave  Mrs.  Mapile  my  opinion  of 
the  affair,  but  the  poor  woman  was  only  acting  under 
instructions  from  mamma,  wiho  I  .think  would  rather 
see  Billy  in  his  grave  than  have  him  marry  Minna. 

The  night  was  still  and  the  moon  at  its  full  Billy 
•was  sitting  on  the  beach  whispering  sweet  nothings 
to  his  idol  when  a  shrill  voice  was  heard,  reciting  these 
lines : 

"Nigger,  nigger!    Chew — chew — chew! 
Black  as  a  bull-dog!    Boo-woo-woo!" 

Billy  sprang  up  and  looked  for  the  perpetrator  of  the 
Outrage,  but  while  he  was  trying  to  locate  the  sound  a 
came  from  another  direction : 

"Nigger,   nigger,   chew   terbacker, 
'If  you  die  it  is  no  matter!" 


X  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  31 1 

It  was  awful,  as  you  can  conceive.  Minna's  Head 
was  hanging  down,  for  slue  felt  that  the  insults  were 
directed  to  her.  A  moment  later  a  voice  rang  out — 

"/  had  a  little  Nigger  an'  he  wouldn't  grow  no  bigger 
An'  I  put  him  in   de  winder  for  a  show — 
He  tumbled  out  de  winder  an'  broke  his  little  finger 
An'  he  couldn't  play  de  old  banjo!" 

Billy  asked  Minna  to  leave  the  beadh,  but  while  she 
was  still  undecided  the  tormentors  began  again : 

"There  was  an  old  Nigger,  they  called  hint  Uncle  Ned. 
He's  dead  long  ago,  long  ago. 
He  had  no  hair  on    de   top  of  his  head, 
De  place  where  de  wool  oughter  grow." 

Then  Minna  rose  to  her  feet  and  her  anger  burst 
forth  like  a  flame. 

"This  is  either  your  work  or  that  of  some  nuemfber 
of  your  family!"  she  cried,  fiercely.  "I  want  you  to 
understand  that  I  am  not  a  'nigger.'  My  mother's 
grandfather  was  King  in  Hawaii,  and  not  a  Sugar 
king  either !  My  father's  people  stand  as  high  as  any- 
body in  New  York  State.  No  immigrant  family  from 
nobody  knows  where  shall  accuse  me  of  having  Afri- 
can blood.  Don't  speak  to  me !  Don't  follow  me !  I 
will  never  recognize  you  again !" 

She  went  to  the  bathhouse,  dressed  for  the  street  and 
had  the  hotel  keeper  ring  for  a  carriage  £5  take  her 
home. 

Although  I  am  sorry  such  a  mean  way  was 
taken  to  break  up  that  match,  I  must  admit  I'm  glad 
it's  broken.  If  Billy  had  married  her  he  would  ihave 


312  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

suffered  terribly  some  day  at  the  slurs  cast  on  his 
children.  For  a  month  he  was  very  downhearted,  but 
he  is  recovering1,  and  Minna's  engagement  is  an- 
nounced to  a  shopkeeper  who  has  been  trying  to  win 
her  for  a  long  time.  Enough  of  this  unhappy  affair. 
I  have  heard  from  Mr.  Loring,  who  was,  it  appears, 
the  only  son  of  a  live  lord  and  whose  sudden  return  to 
England  was  caused  by  the  fatal  illness  of  his  father. 
He  is  now  Lord  Somerset,  an  earl,  and  entitled  to  call 
his  wife  a  countess  (just  the  same  as  Carl.)  He  wrote 
that  he  was  coming  here  again,  but  when  I  send  the 
announcement  of  my  engagement  I  think  he  may  alter 
his  plan.  Why  did  you  not  "bag  that  bird"  yourself? 
(What  awful  slang!)  You  might  have  had  him  just 
as  well  as  not  and  then  we  would  have  had  two  count- 
esses in  "our  family." 

That  young  fellow  Barney  who  went  witih  us  to 
Shoji  is  getting  out  a  book  which  he  says  is  based  on 
some  of  Carl's  adventures.  He  has  been  for  years,  I 
learn,  an  associate  of  Mr.  Pyne's,  and  is  considered  a 
pretty  shrewd  fellow. 

I  know  I  am  writing  in  a  gay  and  frivolous  vein,  but 
what  can  I  do  ?  Every  cloud  that  hung  over  my  path- 
way has  been  blown  aside.  I  am  to  have  the  dearest, 
best  and  noblest  man  on  earth  for  my  husband ;  and  as 
he  will  go  into  business  with  Papa  I  shall  henceforth 
bask  in  the  sunshine  of  those  I  love  best,  every  hour 
of  my  life.  There  is  no  wish  of  my  heart  that  will  then 
be  unfulfilled — that  is,  if  you  will  come  and  act  as  my 
bridesmaid,  which  it  is  the  main  object  of  this  wander- 
ing letter  to  ask. 


S  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  313 

I  cannot  fix  die  exact  date  yet,  but  will  give  you  am- 
ple notice.  If  you  don't  want  to  furnish  the  only  "spot 
on  the  moon"  (the  honeymoon)  you  will  respond  at 
once  in  the  affirmative.  I  hope  you  will  bring  tihe 
Captain  with  you. 

I  can't  tell  you  how  happy  I  am.  My  "bosom's  lord 
sits  lightly  on  his  throne"  as  Mr.  Shakespeare  makes 
some  one  say.  lam  a  "  Sugar  Princessi" — I  shall  be  a 
Countess  of  the  German  Empire — but  these  are  noth- 
ing compared  to  being  the  pet  of  the  most  indulgent 
of  papas  and  the  wife  of  a  man  who  has  been  through 
fire  and  come  out,  like  the  Hebrew  children,  with  not 
even  the  smell  of  burning  on  his  garments. 

Your  own,  AMY. 

P.  S.  Don't  wait  for  the  mail.  Telegraph  your  ac- 
ceptance to  our  San  Francisco  house  and  they  will  for- 
ward. You  must  come.  A.  V.  S. 


314  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
"ALL'S  WELL  THAT  ENDS  WELL/' 

THACKERAY  called  Vanity  Fair  "a  novel  without  a 
hero."  I  have  been  reading  over  tihrs  manuscript  and 
find  that  I  have  written  a  novel  without  a  villain;  un- 
less, indeed,  Mr.  Lindes  may  be  elected  to  that  posi- 
tion. And  poor  Marcus  has  been  well  punished  for 
and  deeply  repented  of  the  obstinate  freak  that  caused 
him  to  furnish  the  groundwork  for  this  tale.  When 
Mr.  Van  Steuben  started  for  Japan  he  returned  to  St. 
Louis,  and  though,  in  response  to  several  letters  of 
regret  at  his  fault,  Peter  Meyer  wrote  that  he  forgave 
him,  he  added  that  it  was  best  tihey  should  not  meet 
again.  By  a  strange  combination  of  circumstances  all 
had  ended  happily,  but  it  was  as  well,  on  the  whole, 
that  a  large  slice  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  should  continue 
to  separate  them. 

As  to  Capt.  Thorn,  I  do  not  pretend  that  he  was,  in 
his  business  relations,  the  highest  type  of  man.  He 
belonged  to  a  growing  class  of  professional  promoters 
who  exploit  their  schemes  without  too  much  regard 
for  the  interest  of  investors.  Such  men  are  found  oc- 
cupying positions  in  good  society,  even  prominent  seats 
in  the  churches,  and  seldom  do  anything  that  could  be 
twisted  into  an  actual  violation  of  law.  Thorn  was  no 
better  nor  worse  than  the  average  man  of  his  ilk.  He 
happened  to  get  involved  witfh  partners  more  un- 


A  SUGAR  PRINCESS.  315 

scrupulous  than  himself,  who  to  facilitate  a  projected 
robbery  of  his  property  and  rights,  brought  against 
him  a  technical  charge  of  fraud. 

Even  when  he  joined  forces  with  these  men  he  sus- 
pected their  good  faith  and  assumed  the  name  of 
Chatham  Stone,  as  a  loophole  in  case  of  trouble.  While 
his  suit  for  Amy  Van  Steuben's  hand  was  not  at  the 
start  wholly  uninfluenced  by  her  father's  wealth,  he 
had  grown  extremely  fond  of  the  girl  for  her  own 
sake  long  before  he  made  his  proposal  in  set  terms. 
It  was,  as  Olive  had  remarked,  the  one  matrimonial 
project  of  his  life.  In  time,  as  is  the  case  with  most 
men,  except  in  very  romantic  fiction,  he  grew  recon- 
ciled to  his  loss  and  recovered  his  old  spirits ;  but  when 
Olive  went  to  Honolulu  to  act  as  Amy's  bridesmaid  he 
accompanied  her  only  as  far  as  San  Francisco,  not 
feeling  that  he  would  enjoy  tihe  sight  of  his  rival's 
crowning  victory. 

The  date  of  the  wedding  was  fixed  for  the  first  week 
in  March  and  lest  the  selection  should  excite  tihe  sur- 
prise of  some  of  my  feminine  readers  in  America  let 
me  remind  them  that  that  month  is  not,  in  Hawaii,  the 
kind  one  expects  in  the  Central  or  New  England 
States.  The  weather  is  always  mild,  flowers  are  in  full 
bloom  and  everything  in  nature  gladdens  the  heart  of  a 
bride  wihose  happiness  is  bound  up  in  her  prospective 
husband.  In  fact,  there  is  no  month  in  that  ohairming 
land  unsuitable  for  wedlock. 

Brother  Billy  was  as  glad  to  see  Olive  as  was  Amy, 
and  from  the  time  she  arrived  constituted  himself  her 
general  escort  and  cavalier.  She  thought  he  had  improv- 
ed much  since  she  last  saw  him  and  he  began  to  wondet 


gl6  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

Why  he  had  never  noticed  what  a  remarkably  lovely 
girl  she  was.  One  day  when  tihey  had  ridden  out  be- 
yond the  Pali — 'that  precipice  over  which  the  great 
Kamehameha  is  said  (apochrypihally,  I  think)  to  have 
driven  his  enemies — Billy  talked  to  her  in  plain 
earnest. 

"Ollie,"  he  said,  "will  you  do  something  for  me?" 

"Anything  in  my  power,"  she  responded,  without 
hesitation. 

"Well,  I  want  you  to  marry  me,  thaft's  all.  I'm  more 
or  less  of  a  worry  to  father,  and  mother  bothers  me  to 
death  every  time  I  look  at  a  girl.  I  want  to  get  the 
thing  settled  and  off  their  minds.  I  know  you're  a 
few  months  older  than  I  am,  and  I  know  I'm  not  good 
for  much,  anyway,  but  I  like  you  awfully  well;  and 
I'll  make  just  the  best  husband  I  can,  if  you'll  have  me. 
Will  you?" 

It  was  eviderit  that  he  was  making  the  proposal  in 
full  earnestness.  Miss  Thorn  did  not  know  what  to 
say.  He  had  always  seemed  to  her  little  more  tihan  a 
boy — a  boy  she  had  always  liked,  but  a  boy  for  all 
that.  It  was  a  serious  problem.  She  was  confused  at 
its  unexpectedness  and  for  some  seconds  could  not 
utter  a  word. 

"Billy,"  she  said,  at  last,  "you  are  a  good  fellow  and 
I  like  you,  but  I  never  thought  of  a  tihing  like  this. 
You  must  give  me  time — it  is  too  sudden — I  want  to 
consider.  Are  you  sure  you  love  me  so  much?  And 
how  would  your  mother  feel — I  am  not  a  person  of 
rank,  you  know,  like  von  Mul'ler.  And  Amy — who 
loves  me  dearly  now — would  she  receive  thi's  idea 
Jsindly?  I  must  write  to  my  brother,  too.  Let  me 


A.  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

have  a  month  to  think  of  it.  I  will  try  to  give  you  a 
definite  answer  by  that  time." 

"All  right,"  he  replied,  moodily.  "While  you're 
about  it,  you  might  write  to  President  McKinley  too, 
and  Richard  .  Croker  and  Paul  Kruger  and  Agui- 
naldo.  If  any  of  them  should  object  I  suppose  that 
would  settle  it.  I  don't  mean  to  be  cross,"  he  proceed- 
ed, as  he  saw  that  she  looked  troubled,  "but  I  really 
thought  you'd  just  say,  'Why,  certainly!'  I  was  all 
ready  to  put  my  arms  around  you  and  seal  the  bargain 
with  a  kiss." 

He  was  so  straightforward  that  she  had  to  smile, 
which  saved  the  situation  for  them  both. 

"I'll  give  you  the  kiss,  at  any  rate,  if  you're  sure 
there's  nobody  looking,"  she  said,  bringing  her  horse 
closer  to  his.  "I  like  you  well  enough  for  that,  and, 
if  nothing  more  comes  of  it,  I'm  sure  you'll  never  tell." 

When  his  lips  had  pressed  her  dainty  cheek  they  rode 
on  at  a  faster  pace,  both  happier  for  the  experience. 
He  was  the  brother  of  her  dear  friend  and  she  liked 
him  very  much.  But  as  a  husband — it  required  a  little 
more  time  to  think  that  over. 

(I  need  only  add  that  among  the  ornaments  which 
Olive  wore  at  the  Muller-Van  Steuben  wedding  was 
a  large  solitaire  diamond  ring;  and  I  learn  that  a  plain 
gold  one  is  to  supplement  it  some  time  during  the 
coming  autumn.) 

The  gentlemanly  editor  of  the  Hawaiian  Star  has 
sent  me  a  copy  of  his  newspaper,  containing  a  full  ac- 
count of  the  wedding  ceremony  at  die  Van  Steuben 
residence,  when,  in  the  words  of  the  reporter  of  that 


318  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

paper,  (Mr.  R.)  "one  of  the  most  noble  houses  of 
Germany  was  united  to  one  of  the  wealthiest  and  most 
famous  in  the  Paradise  of  the  Pacific."  I  will  not  re- 
peat the  narrative  in  full,  but  merely  note  that  the  ex- 
traordinary features  of  "youth  and  beauty"  were  not 
lacking,  while  the  "palatial  mansion"  was  decorated 
"with  the  most  lovely  effects  which  art  and  money 
could  procure."  The  Castletons  were  there,  for  once 
if  never  again,  as  were  also  the  Millerihams,  the 
Snookses  and  the  Watermans.  The  pastor  of  the 
Central  Church  tied  the  knot.  (It  would  hardly  have 
been  legal,  according  to  Mrs.  Van's  belief,  if  tied  by 
any  other  clergyman.)  The  native  Mandolin  Club, 
which  combines  Hawaiian  songs  with  delicious  instru- 
mental music,  was  stationed  in  an  improvised  balcony 
in  the  dining-room.  All  the  foreign  consuls  were 
there,  President  Dole,  the  American  minister,  the  most 
eminent  representatives  of  the  Hawaiian  race,  in  fact, 
as  the  reporter  remarked,  "it  was  an  assemblage  which 
has,  perhaps,  never  been  excelled  here  on  a  similar 
occasion."  Among  the  guests  none  seemed  happier 
than  Mr.  Peter  Meyer. 

The  costume  which  Mrs.  Van  wore  attracted  much 
attention.  She  had  imported  a  jewelry  shop  and 
sported  the  entire  contents  on  her  hands,  neck,  hair 
and  gown,  not  to  mention  her  shoes,  which  were  fas- 
tened with  diamond  buckles.  During  the  evening  she 
asked  everybody  repeatedly,  "Have  you  been  present- 
ed to  the  Countess?"  It  was  a  great  night  for  her  and 
it  was  quite  as  well  that  her  violent  effort  to  break  off 
the  match  was  still  a  secret  from  her  guests. 
.  Mr.  Van  Steuben  wore  his  ordinary  evening  clothes, 


A   SUGAR   PRINCESS.  319 

of  a  cut  which  he  ha/d  steadily  refused  to  alter  for  the 
previous  thirty  years.  He  tried  to  seem  happy,  but  his 
distraught  countenance  showed  the  strain  under  which 
he  labored.  Only  one  who  has  occupied  the  position 
cf  giving  an  idolized  child  in  marriage — even  to  one 
of  the  best  of  men — can  appreciate  the  feelings  of  a 
father  when  he  realizes  that  he  has  now  an  actual 
rival  in  his  daughter's  affections.  Van  Steuben  was 
glad  of  Amy's  happiness;  he  would  not  have  changed 
anything  if  he  could;  he  knew  she  was  following  the 
ordinances  of  Nature  and  of  God ;  but  many  times  his 
breath  came  with  difficulty  and  he  thought  he  surely 
must  withdraw  from  the  scene  to  indulge  in  wtiiat  has 
been  so  aptly  termed  "the  luxury  of  tears." 

The  wedded  couple  were  to  make  a  European  tour 
before  settling  down  in  Honolulu  for  the  rest  of  their 
days.  Carl  wanted  Amy  to  see  the  wonderful  sights 
of  the  Old  World  and  she  wanted  to  be  alone  with 
him — anywhere.  He  was  to  dispose  of  his  domains 
in  Germany  and  devote  himself  in  a  business  way  to 
Hawaiian  interests. 

The  wedding  took  place  in  the  afternoon  of  the  day 
on  which  the  favorite  steamer  Australia  left  for  the 
American  coast.  All  Honolulu  seemed  to  be  at  the 
wharf  when  the  bridal  party  arrived.  The  Govern- 
ment Band  was  there,  of  course,  and  to  its  usual  reper- 
toire added  many  lively  airs  suitable  to  the  occasion. 

Just  before  the  cables  were  cast  off  Carl  and  Amy 
came  out  on  the  upper  deck,  almost  buried  in  leis  of 
bright  flowers  and  smiled  their  adieux  to  the  assembled 
throng. 

"I  shan't  be  long,  Popsie,"  Amy  whispered  to  hee 


32O  A  SUGAR  PRINCESS. 

father,  who  was  waiting  till  the  very  latest  moment. 
"It'll  be  only  a  little  while  and  then  you'll  never  lose 
me  again.  Good-by,  Billy!  good-by,  Ollie!  good-by, 
mamma !" 

Out  on  the  placid  waters  of  the  harbor  sailed  the  old 
vessel,  with  its  precious  freight.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  von 
Muller  stood  watching  beautiful  Oahu  with  hearts  too 
full  for  utterance  till  the  evening  shadows  hid  the 
last  hill  from  sight.  As  they  turned  to  go  below  one 
of  the  stewards  handed  Carl  two  envelopes  that  he  had 
received  at  the  last  moment.  Going  to  the  nearest 
light  Carl  tore  the  first  one  open  and  read  this  ak>ud» 
with  a  smile : 

Book  selling  like  wildfire!  Fifty  agents  taking  or- 
ders. I've  made  you  a  genuine  hero  and  your  wife 
a  raving  beauty,  concealing  names  of  course.  I  will 
meet  you  at  the  dock  in  San  Francisco  with  a  presen- 
tation copy, — an  edition  de  luxe.  I  shall  make  my 
fortune.  Bless  you  and  your  bride! 

BARNEY. 

The  other  was  a  telegram  forwarded  from  St.  Louis, 
containing  Marcus  Lindes'  felicitations.  Von  Muller's 
brow  clouded  and  he  was  about  to  tear  the  paper  in 
pieces  when  Amy  stayed  his  hand. 

"But  for  that  man's  folly,"  she  said,  softly,  "we 
might  never  have  met.  Can  we  not  afford  to  forgive 
him?" 


THE  ENU 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


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1NTERLIBRARY  LOANS 

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A     000037510     5 


